The Precious Flower
by Mei-chan4
Summary: When Goku finds a baby girl in a trashcan, he brings her back to Sanzo and the others. Sanzo reluctantly allows the child to stay with them. What happens when the group must travel to India with such a small child? Will she be a hinderance or an assest?
1. Trashcan

**Precious Flower is back now and (hopefully) it's even better than before! If you are a new reader to this story, I hope you enjoy it. If you read the previous chapters that were posted, forget everything that was revealed! Sakura02 and I have completely revamped this story so a lot of stuff has been changed. **

**Enjoy!**

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A young Goku was wandering around town. Sanzo had allowed him to leave so that he would leave him alone for a few hours. Goku was munching happily on a meat bun when he heard a strange noise coming from an alleyway. Cautiously, he peered down into the dark alley, seeing only a trashcan. He shrugged his shoulders and turned to walk away when he heard the strange noise again. He walked into the alleyway this time. He realized the noise was coming from the trashcan. He peeked inside and almost dropped his meat bun.

A small baby was in the trashcan. Goku could tell it was a girl by the dirty green dress the baby wore. She had wisps of red hair and tears were falling from red eyes. The baby was a half-breed.

Goku shoved the rest of his meat bun into his mouth. He picked the small baby out of the trashcan. "What are you doing in there, Little Baby? Where's your mom and dad?"

The baby flailed her arms around. The tears had stopped falling and she eyed Goku curiously.

Goku looked around. He walked into the streets to see if anyone was looking for a lost baby. Nobody was. Goku looked down at the small baby in his arms. "Are you all alone?"

The baby gurgled. She grabbed onto the Goku's long hair and began to gnaw on it with her single tooth.

Goku frowned. He didn't know what to do. He knew he couldn't leave the baby here. It seemed likely that baby's parents had abandoned her. His face lit up. "I'll take you home with me!" His frown returned. "But I can't let the monks or Sanzo see you. Girls aren't supposed to be in the temple." He grinned. "I'll just hide you! Don't worry Little Baby, I'll take care of you!"

Goku ran back to the temple as fast as he could. He cautiously ran to the storage room and got a long woven basket to take back to his room. With great difficulty, he carried the small baby in one arm and dragged the basket with his other. He entered his room and placed the baby on the floor. He shook a finger in her face. "I'm gonna make you a bed to sleep in and then I'll go and get you some milk. That's what babies eat, right?"

The baby girl squealed and reached up to grab his finger.

Goku panicked. "No! You can't make noises like that! If you do, Sanzo and the monks will find you and they'll take you away!"

The baby girl seemed to understand what Goku said for she fell silent. She stared up at the ceiling while Goku pulled some extra sheets from his closet. She giggle quietly when Goku picked her up and placed in the sheet filled basket. She wriggled around while she tried to get comfortable.

"I'll be right back." Goku whispered as he crept out of his room. He managed to make it to the kitchen without running into anyone. He quickly poured some milk into a cup and ran out of the kitchen.

"Goku, long time no see!" a cheerfully familiar voice called.

Goku spun around, almost dropping the milk. "Hakkai! What are you doing here?" His eyes narrowed. "Is Gojyo here too?"

"Yeah, you got a problem with it, Monkey?" Gojyo sneered as he stood beside Hakkai, a bag slung over his shoulder.

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "What are you doing, Goku? You're not supposed to go in the kitchen."

Goku backed up slowly, hoping the three men wouldn't become suspicious. "Well, I was really thirsty so I wanted some milk. Now, I'm going to go drink my milk in my room." He turned and quickly ran down the hallway.

Gojyo raised an eyebrow. "Anybody else think he's up to something?"

Sanzo growled in annoyance. "Whatever the hell it is, I'm sure I'll kill him for it."

Hakkai laughed. "Why don't we go see what it is Goku is up to."

The three men made their way down the hallway. They heard angry shouts coming from the area where Goku's room was and then, Goku zipped passed them with something in his arms.

"I found her! You can't take her!"

Two monks appeared beside Sanzo. "Sanzo-sama, Goku has brought a baby into the temple!"

Sanzo groaned. He was definitely going to kill the monkey now. "Let's go find him." He muttered.

All the three had to do was follow the angry shouts of the monks. Goku was perched up in the sacred peach tree, the baby held tightly to his chest.

"Go away you stupid monks!" Goku stuck his tongue out at the angry men.

"Goku," Sanzo growled out. "get down here right now."

Goku glared at the angry priest. "No way! You're gonna take her away from me!"

"Damn right I am!" Sanzo yelled back.

"NO! I found her so I get to keep her!" Goku pouted.

Hakkai placed a hand on Sanzo's shoulder. "Let me talk to him." He said quietly. He smiled warmly up at Goku. "Goku, I'm sure her parents are very worried about her. You need to give her back to them."

Goku shook his head. "I found her in a trashcan! That means they didn't want her so I'm gonna take care of her!" Goku was startled when the baby began to cry. He glared down at the monks. "It's your fault she's crying!"

Sanzo's patience was wearing thin. "Why the hell is it crying?"

"I was trying to give her the milk but it kept spilling and then the monks walked in and started yelling and I dropped the cup and all the milk went all over the floor!" Goku said in one breath.

"Ah, she's hungry." Hakkai smiled. "Goku, bring her down and I'll help you feed her."

Goku glared suspiciously down at the group. "You aren't going to take her away from me, are you?"

Sanzo glared at the monks. "Don't touch the damn baby."

Goku cautiously made his way down, holding the small baby close to his chest. He glared at a few monks that tried to approach him. "Don't touch her!"

Hakkai stepped forward. "Let me see her, Goku. I promise, I won't let them take her away."

Goku reluctantly handed the baby over to Hakkai. He followed closely behind Hakkai with Gojyo and Sanzo following him.

Hakkai made his way to the kitchen, laughing when Sanzo slammed the door on the whining monks. Hakkai rummaged around the cabinets, frowning. He looked over at Sanzo. "Do you have any sake cups?"

"I do." Gojyo said. He put his bag down and pulled out a small sake cup.

Hakkai took it and poured a little milk into the cup. He tilted the cup up so the baby could drink. "You'll need to get some bottles so you can actually feed her."

Sanzo raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'm keeping her?"

Goku's eyes widened. "You promised!"

"I'm not letting a damn baby stay here!" Sanzo snapped out. "I have my hands full enough with you!"

Goku glared at Sanzo. "I'm not gonna let you take her away! She was all alone and crying when I found her! She was probably really scared! She was probably wondering why her mom and dad left her in a trashcan!"

Sanzo glowered over at the tiny baby in Hakkai's arms. There was no way he was going to let something that tiny stay here. "I don't care."

Hakkai smiled and walked over to Sanzo. He held the small baby girl out so that she and Sanzo were face to face. "You know you can't say no to that little face."

Sanzo glared at the baby girl. He hated how her big red eyes looked at him with wonder. He hated how her head was tilted cutely to the side as she absorbed her surroundings. He most definitely hated how her tiny hands began patting his cheeks and the giggle coming from the baby. Sanzo crossed his arms over his chest. "She can stay."

"Yes!" Goku grabbed the small baby and began spinning around the room with her. "Did you hear that? Sanzo says you can stay!"

"On the condition that Hakkai stays to take care of her." Sanzo added.

"What about me?" Gojyo asked.

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "Do as you please."

Gojyo snatched the baby from Goku and smiled down at her. "How are you doing? What's your name?"

Hakkai leaned against the wall. "We should think of a name for her. We can't be calling her baby for the rest of her life."

Gojyo looked down at the small baby in his arms. Her wisps of red hair were a deep red as were her eyes. They reminded him of the flowers he had try to give to his mother when he was younger. "Meika."

Goku paused for a moment to think of the name before he grinned. "I like it!" He bounded over to Gojyo and began tickling the baby's stomach. "Hello, Meika-chan! Do you like your name?"

Meika squealed and clapped her hands.

Hakkai chuckled. "Tomorrow, we'll go buy her some clothes, a bed, and some bottles."

Sanzo rubbed his temples. What had he just gotten himself into?

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**Hooray!!! Just so everyone knows, Meika means celebrated flower and beautiful woman. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please review and let me know your thoughts!**


	2. First Steps and First Words

**Hello everyone! I'm glad you all liked the revised version. I personally like this one better as well. Thank you so much to everyone for reading and a huge thanks to Sakura02, Sakura7865, my friend (I missed you!), Holysinner5527, nemo, Mako-clb, and i love athrun for reviewing! You guys rock.**

**Sorry that this wasn't updated on Thursday or Friday. I was sleepy and then I had to go baby-sit. Better late than never, right?**

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Sanzo felt another migraine coming on. He glared at the baby in the small washing basin. "If you don't hold still and let me finish bathing you, you're going to regret it." His answer was water being splashed up into his face.

Goku laughed. "Meika doesn't like you, Sanzo."

Sanzo turned his glare on Goku. "I could care less if the damn brat likes me or not. She just needs to listen to me and fear me."

Hakkai chuckled as he entered the room, Gojyo close behind him. "I don't think she's scared of you." He knelt beside the basin. "I'll finish giving her a bath. The monks want to speak to you."

Gojyo sat on the other side of the basin. "Hey there, Meika-chan. Are you annoying Sanzo again?"

Meika flailed her tiny arms around and giggled happily.

Gojyo smiled. "So, how old do you think she is?"

Hakkai thought for a moment as he gently washed Meika. "She can't be more then a couple months old. She's very young."

Goku sat beside Hakkai. "Why would someone leave a baby in a trashcan?"

Gojyo frowned. "It's probably because she's a half-breed."

Goku playfully splashed some water into Meika's face. "Well, that's not very nice. I think she's a cute half-breed, unlike Gojyo."

Gojyo glared at Goku. "What was that, you stupid monkey?"

Hakkai sighed and pulled Meika out of the tub. "Let's get you out of the line of fire. Are you hungry?"

Meika giggled and clapped her hands together.

And so, this is how the first year of Meika's life was spent. She was constantly being taken care of and fussed over by Hakkai while Gojyo always loved to play with her and take her out into the town. Goku liked to run around the temple with her and irritate the monks while Sanzo ignored her for the most part. He only really spent time with her when it was time for her to go to bed. He always read her a story from the newspaper.

"Happy Birthday, Meika-chan!" Goku yelled as he bounded into the small girl's room. He leaned over her crib and grinned. "It's been one year since I found you!"

Meika babbled and held her hands out to Goku, squealing in joy as he picked her up. Her smile widened when Hakkai walked into the room.

Hakkai returned the smile. "Let me get her dressed, Goku."

Goku pouted but handed Meika over. He dashed out of the room to finish wrapping his present for Meika.

Hakkai chuckled as he sat on the floor, Meika sitting up in his lap. He combed her messy red hair out. He put her hair into two tiny ponytails and put a simple purple dress on her. "What do you want to do today?"

Meika wriggled out of Hakkai's lap and shakily stood up on her legs. She had managed to learn to stand but could never get more than a few steps before she fell on her face and cried. Hesitantly, she took her first step forward. She grinned when she didn't fall flat on her face. Slowly, she began to walk forward.

Hakkai smiled and followed the small girl as she walked out into the hallway. "Where are you going, Meika-chan?"

Meika waved her arms forward, towards a door that was slightly ajar.

Hakkai's eyes widened. "Meika-chan, he's busy right now. Let's not bother him."

Meika puffed her cheeks out and ignored Hakkai's warning. She grabbed the side of the door to prevent herself from falling. She peered cautiously into the room before proceeding towards the blonde monk.

Sanzo looked down when he felt a weight tugging on his robes. He frowned when he saw the small child clutching tightly to his robes. He glared up at Hakkai. "Why did you bring her in here?"

Hakkai held his hands up defensively. "I didn't. She walked here all by herself." He smiled at Meika. "Didn't you?"

Meika held one hand up to Sanzo, not trusting herself enough to let go of his robe completely.

Sanzo rolled his eyes and picked Meika up and plopped her in his lap. "Don't distract me. I'm working."

Meika giggled and snuggled into Sanzo's chest. Despite how scary Sanzo was, he was one of her most favorite people in the world. She liked when he read stories to her. She squealed when she saw Goku and Gojyo walk through the door. "JoJo!"

Gojyo looked up from arguing with Goku. He grinned. "Are you talking to me, Meika?"

Meika held her hands out to him. "JoJo!"

"Hah!" Gojyo stuck his tongue out at Goku. "I was her first word!"

Goku rolled his eyes. "Whatever, JoJo."

Gojyo glared at Goku as he picked Meika up from Sanzo's lap. "Hey, only she can call me JoJo."

Meika giggled and tugged on Gojyo's hair. She pointed at Goku. "GoGo!" She then pointed at Hakkai. "HaHa!" She finally pointed at Sanzo. "ZoZo!"

Gojyo laughed. "Well, at least I'm not GoGo."

Goku glared at him. "Shut up, JoJo!"

Hakkai sighed. "Now, you two, let's not fight. It is Meika's birthday after all."

Gojyo grinned as he kissed Meika's forehead. "My Precious Flower is finally one year old. I got you a present."

Meika tilted her head to the side. She pouted when Gojyo placed her on the ground. She blinked when he held a teddy bear out to her. Cautiously, she took the teddy bear from Gojyo. She grinned when she realized how soft it was.

Sanzo looked up from his work to see Meika snuggling the teddy bear. He rolled his eyes. "All of you get out. I have work to do."

Meika stood up and walked back over to Sanzo. She plopped herself down on a corner of his robe. She waited patiently for him to pick her up.

Sanzo glared at the three men that still lingered in the doorway. "Go shopping or something. She's running out of diapers and milk. I don't want to deal with her crying." He waited until the others left before he picked Meika up and sat her back in his lap. "You better be quiet while I work."

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****Sorry guys. I know it's a little short but I must go into the world and do…stuff. Anyways, review and let me know what you thought!**


	3. HaHa

**I'm so tired! We're having the Easter party for my 1****st**** graders today. This should be interesting.**

**my friend: AHHH! I missed you too! Welcome back ;-)**

**Thanks so much to everyone that reviewed. You have no idea how much I appreciate your reviews!**

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"HaHa!"

Hakkai smiled down at the small girl. He scooped her up into his arms. "What are you doing outside by yourself, Meika-chan? I thought Sanzo was watching you."

Meika blew a spit bubble in response. It was her way of saying she didn't care and that she had toddled away from Sanzo without his permission. She pouted up at Hakkai and rubbed her stomach. "'ry!"

Hakkai laughed. "Is it time for lunch?"

Meika nodded her head enthusiastically. She grinned as Hakkai carried her into the kitchen. "'oup!"

Hakkai placed Meika on the ground in order to better rummage through the cabinets. He frowned and turned to the waiting 15 month old. "It seems we're all out of soup, Meika-chan." He scooped the small baby into his arms. "Would you like to go shopping?"

Meika's red eyes widened with excitement. "Yes!"

Hakkai poked his head into Sanzo's office as the two walked by it. "Sanzo, I'm taking Meika-chan shopping. We'll be back in an hour."

Sanzo didn't even look up from his work. "Why are you bothering me?"

Hakkai laughed. "I just didn't want you to worry about her. I know how protective you are of her."

Sanzo growled. "Shut up and get out."

Meika ran in and hugged Sanzo quickly before running back over to Hakkai. "Bye-bye, ZoZo!"

A few minutes later found Hakkai and Meika wandering in the market. Meika clung tightly to Hakkai's hand, her eyes absorbing everything around her. She was very nervous around large crowds since she wasn't usually let outside the temple. Every time a person knelt down to talk to her, she hid behind Hakkai and whimpered.

"I'm sorry," Hakkai apologized to a young woman. "she's very shy around people she doesn't know. Especially women."

Truth be told, Meika was terrified of women. They looked so different from her HaHa, GoGo, ZoZo, and JoJo. This was only her third time ever seeing a woman and it still scared her. She cowered behind Hakkai until the woman walked away. Her eyes lit up when they fell on one stand.

"'ple!" She squealed.

Hakkai smiled and took an apple off the stand to give to Meika. "Yes, this is an apple, Meika-chan."

Meika began attempting to gnaw at the apple but it was too big for her. She pouted up at Hakkai. "HaHa…"

Hakkai picked her up. "When we get back to the temple, I'll cut it up for you. Do you still want soup?"

"'oup, 'oup!" Meika jumped up and down happily.

Hakkai chuckled. "All right. Do you want to help get the ingredients?"

"Yes!"

The next hour was spent with Meika helping Hakkai pick out ingredients for their soup. The small child's hunger was slightly appeased by the occasional pieces of food vendors would give her because she was 'so adorable'. Meika happily munched on a small grape while Hakkai haggled with one of the stand owners.

"'oup, 'oup!" Meika said impatiently.

Hakkai smiled at the man. "That's my final offer, sir."

The man grumbled but acquiesced to Hakkai's offer. He packed the vegetables into a bag. "Have a good day." He squinted at Meika for a moment. His eyes widened. "That's a damn mutt right there!"

Meika blinked as she swallowed her grape. She looked at Hakkai curiously and pointed at herself. "Mutt?"

Hakkai placed the bag of food on the ground. He smiled at Meika and ruffled her hair. "Meika-chan, will you cover your ears and close your eyes for a few minutes?"

Meika tilted her head to the side curiously before doing as her HaHa told her.

Hakkai continued to smile at the man as he grabbed the front of his shirt. "Please refrain from using such crude words to talk about her. That's a very unkind thing to do to such a small child. Do we have an understanding?"

The man nodded his head vigorously. "Yes! I'm sorry! It won't happen again!"

Hakkai released the man, the smile never leaving his face. "Be grateful it was only me that was with her today. If you had said something like that around any of the others, it wouldn't have turned out well for you." He pulled Meika's hands off of her ears. "You can open your eyes now."

Meika smiled up at Hakkai. "HaHa!" She squealed happily as he picked her up. She waved at the stand owner. "Bye-bye!"

Once the two were back at the temple, Hakkai busied himself in the kitchen preparing Meika's lunch. Meika grew bored with watching him cook so she wandered off to find Sanzo. She wanted to tell him the new word she had learned. She beamed when she found him in the same spot she had left him in; his office. She toddled over to him and tugged on his robes.

Sanzo looked down. "Back already? Have you eaten yet?"

Meika grinned and pointed at Sanzo. "ZoZo!"

Sanzo sighed in annoyance. "Yes, that's what you call me…unfortunately."

Meika pointed at herself. "Mutt!"

Sanzo's face darkened. He stood up abruptly from his chair and plucked Meika off the ground as he made his way to the door. He stormed into the kitchen, startling Hakkai in the process. "Why'd she just call herself a mutt?"

Hakkai frowned. "We were in town and one of the stand owners called her that. I don't think she really understands what it means."

"Which one was it?" Sanzo asked.

"The one that charges ridiculous prices for vegetables." Hakkai held Meika tightly when Sanzo shoved her into his arms. "Please don't use unnecessary violence!" Hakkai called to Sanzo's departing back. He smiled down at Meika's confused face. "That's his way of showing he loves you."

Meika's face lit up. "ZoZo love! ZoZo love!"

Hakkai chuckled and sat Meika down in her chair. He sat next to her with a bowl of soup. He smiled the whole time he fed the little girl. "My goodness you were really hungry."

Meika smiled and held her arms out Hakkai. "Thank you, HaHa!"

Hakkai picked her up out of her chair. "You're getting better at those sentences." He smiled when Meika yawned. "Let's get you ready for naptime."

Meika smiled sleepily as Hakkai put her nightgown on her and brushed her hair. She always liked when he brushed her hair. He did it so gently.

Hakkai sat down in the small rocking chair in Meika's room. He rocked back and forth with the small baby in his arms, smiling as he watched her eyes drift shut. He stroked her hair and hummed a quiet lullaby to her. He himself was rather tired as well and felt his eyes drifting shut. He continued to rock back and forth as both he and Meika fell asleep.

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****My stomach is killing me! Sometimes, I really hate being a girl.**

**Aw, Hakkai took little Meika shopping! Next week, will be Goku and Meika's quality time. Review and let me know what you thought!**


	4. GoGo

**Thank you all for your reviews! You guys are amazing!**

**Sorry I didn't update last night. I had to do last minute baby-sitting and once I got home, I was too tired to update. Forgive me for the lateness!**

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Goku peeked into Meika's room. Hakkai had walked out a few minutes ago, muttering something about making sure Sanzo didn't kill anyone. Quietly, he tiptoed into the room. He peeked into Meika's crib and grinned when he saw the tiny girl staring up at him.

Meika squealed excitedly and held her arms out. "GoGo!"

Goku gently picked Meika up out of her crib. "You wanna go on an adventure?"

Meika clapped her hands. "'venture!"

Cautiously, Goku peeked out of Meika's room. When he was sure the cost was clear, he made a mad dash for the kitchen. He put Meika on the ground so he could pull some food out for the two of them in case they got hungry before they got back. He grinned down at Meika when he felt her holding onto his pants. "Don't worry, MeiMei, we'll be back before dark."

Meika grinned up at Goku when he said her nickname. She tugged on his hand. "GoGo go! GoGo go!"

Goku grinned and put a finger to his lips. "We have to be quiet, MeiMei. If the monks see us, we'll get in trouble."

Meika slapped a hand over her mouth and allowed Goku to lead her out of the temple. Eventually, Goku had to carry both the food he had packed and Meika since it was a long walk to their destination.

"We're almost there, MeiMei."

Meika blinked when they stopped in front of a large boulder. Goku had put her down which allowed the small girl to circle the boulder. It looked like a boring old rock to her until she found the small little alcove in one side of the boulder. She plopped herself down in it and grinned at Goku.

Goku panicked. "No, MeiMei! You can't be in there!" He was afraid she would get trapped in their too.

Meika pouted but did as her GoGo told her to. She went to stand by him and pulled on his hand. "GoGo in?"

Goku shook his head. "No, MeiMei. That's a bad place. That's where Sanzo found me."

Meika tilted her head to the side, indicating that she wished for Goku to continue.

Goku sat down on the ground and grinned when Meika plopped herself into his lap. "I was stuck in there for a really long time and I was all alone. But Sanzo found me and saved me."

Meika looked up at Goku and pointed to the large boulder. "GoGo's mama?"

Goku laughed. "No, that's not my mama." He stood up and took Meika's hand. "Come on. I want to show you where I found you."

The two walked back to the town and Goku led Meika into an alleyway. He grinned when he saw the trashcan was still there. He pointed at it. "You were stuck in there and I found you."

Meika walked towards the trashcan. She wrapped her arms around it as though she were hugging the piece of metal. "My mama?"

"No, MeiMei." Goku shook his head and tugged Meika away from the trashcan. "That's not your mama?"

She frowned. She was supposed to have a mama. Everyone had a mama in all the stories that ZoZo read to her. "Where mama?"

Goku frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know where your mama is." He began panicking when he saw the tears forming in Meika's eyes. "Let's go play hide-n-seek!"

Meika's face immediately brightened. "Hide-n-seek!"

Goku was relieved when the two got back to the temple. No one had noticed their disappearance in part because Hakkai had not returned from retrieving Sanzo and Gojyo was out woman hunting. He grinned down at Meika. "Okay, you hide first and I'll come find you."

Meika held up five fingers. "Count to 1,000!"

Goku laughed. "I'll count to 100." He turned around and hid his face against the building wall.

Meika quickly scampered off, hoping to find a good hiding place before Goku counted to 100. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going and ran into one of the monks. "Sorry!" Meika said from her place on the ground.

The monk glared at her. "Get away you filthy little creature!"

Meika frowned. She wasn't sure what all those words meant but she knew they weren't nice from the tone the monk used. She definitely recognized the word filthy though. It was the word her ZoZo used every time she had to take a bath. "Not filthy." She said quietly. She had taken a bath that morning.

The monk's glare intensified. He had never liked the little child. For one thing she was a girl and therefore should not be allowed in such a holy place. For another, she was a half-breed. A forbidden child. He yanked her up roughly by her arm. "I don't know why Sanzo-sama keeps you around but everyone would be better off if you just died."

Meika shook in the man's grasp. Had she done something wrong? She had apologized for running into the monk but maybe he was still angry about that. She knew what 'died' meant. She had heard ZoZo use it whenever he got angry at GoGo or JoJo and tried to shoot them. "Don't wanna die. Let go." She began crying when the man's grip on her arm tightened.

"Leave my MeiMei alone!" Goku kicked the monk in the face and forced him to let go of the little girl. He placed himself between Meika and the monk. He glared at the man. "What's wrong with you!? Why are you picking on a little kid!?" He looked down at Meika's arm and his eyes widened when he saw the bruising finger marks on her arm. He pointed an accusing finger at the monk. "I'm telling on you!" He quickly ran off with Meika in tow towards Sanzo's room.

Sanzo sighed as Hakkai continued to lecture him on not shooting civilians. It wasn't his fault the guy was a complete moron and didn't know when to stop calling Meika a mutt. He growled in annoyance when Goku barged into his office. "What do you want, Monkey?"

Goku nudged Meika in front of him. He held her arm out for Sanzo to see. "One of those monk guys hurt her. He made her cry."

Meika still had tears in the corners of her eyes. "Not filthy. Don't wanna die." She mumbled.

Sanzo shot up from his chair and marched out of the room. "Monkey, you and the baby stay in here and take a nap."

Goku pouted. "But I don't wanna take a nap. I'm not tired."

Sanzo whipped around. "Yes you are! Now take a nap!" He stormed out of the room.

Hakkai sighed as he ran after Sanzo. "When I said don't shoot civilians, that includes the monks."

Goku crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. He wanted to go beat up the monk too. He grinned down at Meika. "Let's play hide-n-seek in here."

Meika squealed excitedly as Goku began counting. She forgot about the monk saying mean things to her and her arm wasn't hurting much anymore. She quickly dove under Sanzo's desk and giggled as Goku began looking for her.

Goku knew exactly where Meika was. He could here her giggling. He decided to drag it out a little so she'd have more fun. "Where'd you go MeiMei?" He peeked into Sanzo's closet. "You're not in the closet. Are you under the bed?"

Meika continued giggling. Silly GoGo was always so bad at finding her. She put a hand over her mouth to try and stifle her giggles. She screamed when Goku knelt down in front of the desk.

Goku held his arms open and grinned when Meika hugged him. He hugged his little MeiMei tightly. "I found you!"

The two continued playing hide-and-seek for another hour. They grew bored when Sanzo and Hakkai didn't return. To top it off, their stomachs started growling. Goku grinned in triumph when he realized he had brought the food he had packed with him. He plopped down in the middle of the floor and sat Meika in his lap. He pulled out two meat buns. With one hand he fed himself while with the other he fed Meika. He made sure to take it away every few seconds so she would remember to swallow. The last time he hadn't done that, she had started choking.

Meika yawned. It was getting late.

Goku was sleepy as well after eating so much. He picked Meika up and put her in Sanzo's bed before hopping up beside her. He curled up on the bed and grinned when Meika mimicked him. He patted her on the head. "Don't worry, MeiMei. Sanzo will take care of that bully."

Meika nodded as her eyes closed. She snuggled up to Goku and held onto his shirt. "Mine."

Goku's grin widened and he pulled Meika into a hug. "Well then, you're mine too!"

Meika looked up at Goku. She placed her finger on his forehead. "Mine." She pointed at herself. "GoGo's."

"Yup!" Goku laughed. He kissed the top of Meika's head. "Go to sleep. It's past your bedtime."

Meika closed her eyes and snuggled closer to Goku. "Mine…" she mumbled as she fell into deep sleep.

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**So, this was supposed to be a lot funnier. I blame the rainy weather! It made me all sad and stuff! I hope you all still enjoyed the chapter though. Review and let me know your thoughts!**


	5. ZoZo

**Hello again, everyone! THERE IS A CONTEST POSTED ON MY PROFILE!!! GO CHECK IT OUT, PLEASE!**

**Sorry for not updating last week guys! I've been feeling pretty down lately and I didn't want to write anything horribly depressing so I took a break. Thank you all for waiting so patiently.**

**Thank you all for reviewing!**

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Sanzo growled in annoyance when he returned to his room. Was it too much to ask to be able to sleep in his own bed? He glared over his shoulder at Hakkai. "Take the monkey to his room."

Hakkai walked in and scooped Goku up, having to carefully dislodge Meika's grip from Goku's shirt. He looked questioningly at Sanzo. "What about Meika?"

"I'll deal with her." Sanzo growled "Damn brat's been causing trouble all day."

Hakkai chuckled. "Whatever you say, Sanzo."

Sanzo was tempted to shoot at Hakkai's retreating back but he really didn't want to wake Meika up. He sighed in annoyance as he looked over at his bed. He carefully tried to pick her up without waking her. He groaned when her red eyes snapped open. "Why can't you be a heavy sleeper like a normal kid?"

Meika rubbed the sleep from her eyes and grinned. "ZoZo!"

Oh, he was sure the Three Aspects were laughing at him. "Go back to sleep. It's past your bedtime."

Meika huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Story!"

"No." Sanzo snarled "You've caused nothing but trouble all day. You don't get a story tonight. I'm going to put you in YOUR bed in YOUR room and you are going to sleep. Is that clear?"

Meika's eyes began watering. Now ZoZo was mad at her too. Her lower lip trembled and she clutched tightly to the front of his robe. "Sorry! Sorry!"

Sanzo groaned. He hated when she started crying. It took forever to get her to stop. "Fine, I'll read you a story."

Meika immediately stopped crying and clapped her hands together. "Story!"

Sanzo plopped her back down on his bed. He gave her a firm glare. "Stay." He left the room and returned a few minutes later with a few different books under his arm. He picked Meika up with one arm and sat down on his bed. He placed the little girl in his lap and tossed the pile of books off to the side of the bed. He picked one up at random and began reading to her.

Meika frowned as she looked at the pictures. She made Sanzo stop reading so she could point at a picture. "His mama?"

Sanzo sighed. "Yes, that's his mother." He frowned as Meika crawled out of his lap and went over to the pile of books. He watched her flip each book open.

She pointed to a picture of a child and a mother in each book. "All have mama's."

Sanzo nodded. "Yes they do."

Meika frowned thoughtfully. "Where's my mama?"

"How should I know?" Sanzo groaned when Meika's eyes began watering. He laid down on his back and picked Meika up so she was dangling in the air above him. "Why do you want one anyways?"

Tears still stood in Meika's eyes. "Everyone else has mama."

"I didn't." Sanzo said.

Meika's eyes cleared up. "No ZoZo mama?"

Sanzo nodded his head. "No ZoZo mama."

Meika squealed happily when Sanzo brought her down so she was laying on his chest. "No ZoZo mama. No Meika mama." She said proudly. She had something in common with her ZoZo.

"Goku and the others don't have mamas." Sanzo added. Well, at least none that he knew of.

Meika blinked at him. "No GoGo mama or HaHa mama or JoJo mama?"

"Right. So see, you don't need a mama. Now will you go back to sleep?"

Meika grinned and nodded her head. She curled up on Sanzo and clutched tightly to his robes. "Night-night, ZoZo."

Sanzo absentmindedly stroked Meika's hair. "Go to sleep." He said gruffly but with a hint of affection in his voice. He'd be damned if he let the others know how attached he was to the small child. He continued stroking Meika's hair until her breathing evened out. He sighed and closed his eyes. He was ready to go to sleep too.

"Sanzo-sama," A monk barged into the room. "is it true that you kicked out Souren!?"

Sanzo growled as Meika's eyes opened and she started crying. He glared over at the monk. "You have ten seconds to get your sorry ass out of here or you can join him. And tell the others to stay out!" Sanzo yelled aas the monk's scurried away.

"Go back to sleep." Sanzo refused to admit that he was practically begging the small girl.

Meika continued crying and held tightly to Sanzo's robes.

Sanzo sighed and went back to stroking her hair. It was going to be a long night.

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**Sorry that's it's short guys. I haven't been feeling all that great this week. **

**Review and let me know your thoughts!**


	6. JoJo

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while! Thank you all for being patient.**

**Mako-clb: I understand what you mean about Sanzo being ooc. He's definitely the hardest out of the four guys to write. I'm still trying to find that balance of him being affectionate with Meika without making him super OOC**

**I just want you guys to know that I'm changing the update schedule. Basically, Akatsuki Baby, Vampire Baby, and Hitsugaya's Headache will be updated one week. Then, Precious Flower, Time of Dying, and Pocketful of Sunshine will be update the following week. **

**Also, the rules for the contest have been tweaked so please go check it out! We've gotten some great entries so far and would love to get some more!**

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Gojyo yawned as he collapsed into his bed. He had been gone the past few days on his own little escapades and had gotten little to no sleep. His blissful moment of silence was short lived when he felt a weight on his stomach. He cracked his eyes open and smiled lazily at the small baby on his chest.

"I'm tired of dealing with her." Sanzo growled. "It's your turn." He stormed out of the room.

Meika giggled as Gojyo yawned. She slapped his face.

Gojyo chuckled and gently grabbed Meika's tiny hands. He picked her up and made her fly through the air. "What do you want to do today, Meika-chan?"

Meika blew a spit bubble.

"The lake it is then." Gojyo dragged himself out of bed. He put Meika on the floor so he could change into clothes that didn't reek of cigarettes and alcohol. He smiled as he came out of his bathroom to find Meika on her back looking up at the ceiling. He grinned and scooped her up into his arms and walked out of his room.

It was a beautiful morning without a cloud in the sky. Gojyo carried Meika in his arms as he strolled out of the temple grounds. He swung Meika around while he whistled.

Meika squealed happily. She loved when her JoJo was happy. Her smile disappeared when she saw the large body of water. It wasn't bath time. She frowned up at Gojyo as though asking him a question.

Gojyo smiled down at Meika. "I think it's time for you to learn how to swim."

Meika looked back at the water and shook her head. "No, JoJo!"

Gojyo smiled reassuringly at Meika. "Don't worry, Meika. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise."

Slowly, Gojyo made his way into the water. He held Meika above his head and smiled at her. Once he was about waist deep, he lowered Meika into the water. He bit back a laugh at the panicked look on the small girl's face. Once he had her in the water, he spoke soothingly to her. "Just kick your legs, Meika."

Meika did as she was instructed. She began to panic again when Gojyo only held her hands. She kept her head up so she wouldn't be face down in the water. "No, JoJo!" She cried again.

Gojyo smiled encouragingly at her and started walking backwards. "Just keep kicking your legs, Meika."

Meika did as Gojyo told her. She smiled when she realized she wasn't sinking in the water. Gojyo led Meika around the lake a few times before Meika's little legs were too tired to keep kicking.

"Did you have fun, Meika?" Gojyo asked as he lay in the grasp with Meika on his stomach.

"Yes, JoJo!" Meika smiled. "Meika go splish splash!"

Gojyo yawned. "I'm going to take a nap, Meika. You just stay right there for a few hours." Gojyo closed his eyes and fell asleep.

When Gojyo opened his eyes, the sun was high in the sky. He stretched when he sat up and looked around for Meika. He scrambled to his feet when the toddler was nowhere in sight. What if she had wandered into the lake? Gojyo dove into the water and began searching for the small girl.

"What's JoJo doing?"

Gojyo came up for air and breathed a sigh of relief. Meika was sitting on the shore with her hands behind her back. "Where did you go, Meika?" He asked as he got out.

Meika smiled. She pulled a bouquet of red flowers out from behind her back. "For JoJo!"

Gojyo frowned for a moment. The flowers were similar to the ones he had tried to give his mother once. He had received a savage beating for that. His red eyes met Meika's hopeful ones and he sighed. He smiled as he took the flowers from her. "Thank you, Meika."

Meika's eyes lit up and she hugged Gojyo. "Love you, JoJo!"

Gojyo smiled and picked her up. He took one of the red flowers from the bouquet and tucked it behind Meika's ear. "Love you too, Meika."

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**Sorry it's really short guys. Thank you all for being so patient. Review and let me know what you thought!**


	7. Savior

**I finally saw Thelma & Louise. It was a really awesome movie! If you haven't seen it yet, you must watch it!**

**Holysinner5527: Thank you! He is definitely the most difficult to write emotion wise. I think he would be more affectionate when others aren't around so I try to do that.**

**Sakura02: It's not my fault that all the manga we read is emo. I can't change that. So nyah.**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: Of course Gojyo is more her father than Hakkai. Hakkai is her mommy.**

**Thank you so much to everyone for reviewing!**

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"ZoZo, I'm bored." Meika, now four years old, tugged impatiently at the priest's robes. "Play with me."

Sanzo glared down at the small girl. "I don't have time. Go find the stupid monkey."

Meika pouted as she sulked out of Sanzo's room. She didn't bother to tell him that Goku had wandered into town earlier. Gojyo and Hakkai had left and she didn't know when they were coming back. Meika plopped down on the outside walkway in the temple and sighed. She could hear the monks whispering about her. Meika pushed her stray hair behind her ear and stood up. She wasn't going to put up with it anymore. She stormed off the temple grounds and headed into town to find Goku.

The young girl regretted her decision an hour later. She was completely lost in the middle of the large town. She was much too afraid to ask anyone for directions. She could see the dirty looks they sent in her direction.

"Stupid mutt."

"Disgusting."

"Don't go near her, dear. She's evil."

Meika wrapped her arms around herself. She hesitantly approached one of the vendors. She tugged on his shirt. "Excuse me, Sir. Can you tell me how to get to the temple?"

"Of course!" The man said with a friendly voice without looking down. His eyes turned down to look at her and his face hardened. He yanked his shirt out of Meika's grasp. "Get out of here, you mutt."

Meika stumbled away as the man pushed her. She sniffled and quickly ran away. She ran as fast as her tiny legs would carry her. She never understood why people said such hateful and cruel things to her. She didn't think she was any different from anyone else. She looked just like her JoJo and everyone loved him. So why was she different?

Meika found herself huddled in the corner of a small alleyway. She plopped down on the dirty ground and pulled her knees to her chest. She frowned when she noticed the dirt on her new blue dress. Sanzo would be mad with her. She let out a wail of frustration and began to cry.

"What are you doing by yourself, Little One?"

Meika sniffled and looked up. Her red eyes connected with beautiful violet ones. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I-I got lost and no one will help me."

The man frowned. His tan hand reached out towards the trembling child. His frown deepened when she flinched away. He gently placed his hand on top of her head. He smoothed her red hair that matched his own down. He smiled at the surprised look on the young girl's face. "I'm not going to hurt you. What's your name?"

"HaHa says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." Meika pouted.

The man smiled. "My name is Kou. What's yours?"

"Meika." She whispered.

The man, now known as Kou, stood up. "Well, Meika, since we aren't strangers anymore, would you like me to help you get home?" He held his hand out to the small child.

Meika wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and took Kou's hand. She squeaked as he scooped her up into his arms. She blinked when she noticed the silver cuffs on his ear. "HaHa has some of those too!"

Kou shifted his eyes to the little girl. "Oh really? That's very interesting." He chuckled when the small girl's stomach growled. "How about I get you some food before I take you home?"

A huge grin broke out on Meika's face. "Okay!"

Kou carried Meika to a small restaurant. The two sat down at a table and Kou ordered a large plate of dumplings. Kou chuckled as he watched the tiny girl shove dumpling after dumpling into her mouth. "Do your parents starve you?"

Meika swallowed a dumpling and took a breath. "I don't have any parents. I live with ZoZo and GoGo. JoJo and HaHa used to live with us but they went away. I miss them." Meika sighed sadly. "I miss them."

The rest of the meal was spent with Meika telling Kou stories about her makeshift family. It was getting late and Meika let out a yawn.

Kou smiled. "Let's get you home." Kou left some money on the table before picking Meika up from her chair. He carried the half asleep girl out of the restaurant and towards the temple. He stopped when he reached the steps of the temple. He gently placed the exhausted child on the ground. "This is as far as I can take you."

Meika rubbed her eyes. She hugged Kou tightly around his legs. "Thank you, Kou-san." She turned around and ran up the stairs of the temple. She sluggishly made her way to her room and curled up under her covers. She didn't bother to tell Sanzo she was back. He probably didn't care. She yawned at went to sleep, dreaming of the man that saved her.

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**Review and let me know your thoughts!**


	8. Training

**Ha! I'm finally twenty! Anyways, I hope you all have been having a great summer!**

**Mako-clb: This isn't the town where Hakkai and Gojyo live. This is town just outside of the temple where Sanzo and Goku live. As for how the way the people react to Meika, while in most of the towns people were either unaware of what Gojyo was and/or didn't care, there were others that were very aware of what a half-breed was and were very hateful and unkind. **

**Cutie Goku: Well, Meika is going to receive some training from the others in how to defend herself. I am very well aware of how Seiten Taisei spares no one. As to what will happen when Seiten Taisei shows up…well…you'll just have to keep reading.**

**kitsune-sama: Wow, that's a huge compliment! Thank you!**

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"Where the hell were you!?"

Meika screamed as she was yanked out of her bed. Her sleepy eyes met Sanzo's furious ones. "I was in my bed." She tilted her head to the side. "What's wrong, ZoZo? Why are you all twitchy?"

Sanzo reminded himself to count to ten in his mind. He took a deep breath. "Where were you last night? I stayed up all night waiting for you to drag your sorry ass home."

"I went into town to look for Goku but I got lost. I had dinner with Kou-san!" Meika beamed.

Sanzo raised an eyebrow. "Who the hell is Kou-san?"

"He's a really nice man with pretty eyes." Meika sighed dreamily.

"Hakkai and Gojyo are coming back today." Sanzo said as he dropped Meika back onto her bed. "You better be dressed by the time I get back."

Meika stuck her tongue out at the retreating monk's bank. She didn't understand why he was so angry. It's not like he ever cared what she did. Meika pulled on a light pink dress and skipped out of her room. Her HaHa and JoJo were coming back and she couldn't wait to see them.

"MeiMei!" Goku ran over to the tiny girl and scooped her up in his arms. He swung her around and grinned. "Guess what! Hakkai Gojyo are back!"

Meika's eyes lit up. "Really!?"

"There's my pretty little flower."

Meika squealed and wriggled out of Goku's arms. "HaHa!" She ran over to the kneeling man and hugged him tightly. "Hey, HaHa, can you teach me magic?"

Hakkai laughed. "I don't see why not." He scooped Meika up into his arms. "I hear you made a new friend."

"Yup. His name is Kou-san." She grinned and waved. "Hi, JoJo! Are you gonna stay forever now?"

Gojyo smiled sadly at the little girl and ruffled her hair. "No can do, Kiddo. I'm only staying for a few days."

Meika pouted. "Why do you always have to leave? It's boring when you and HaHa aren't around. Is it 'cause I'm not pretty like the girls you hang out with?"

Gojyo kissed her forehead. "No. You're the most beautiful girl I know, Meika."

Hakkai laughed. "All right, Meika, let's go start your training."

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"ZoZo, look what I can do!"

Sanzo glanced up from the scroll he was reading. "What?"

Meika beamed and held her hands in front of her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes in deep concentration. After a few moments, a small ball of water formed in between them. "Isn't that cool!?"

Hakkai smiled as he stood behind her. "She took to the training very easily. Her level isn't good enough for combat but I don't think that's necessary right now."

Sanzo narrowed his eyes. "You better not flood the temple."

Meika crossed her fingers over her heart. "I won't, ZoZo, I promise. I'll be a good girl."

"I'd love to see that." Sanzo muttered under his breath.

Hakkai gently nudged Meika out of the room. "Why don't you go show Goku and Gojyo what you can do." He watched the small girl leave the room before turning his attention back to Sanzo. "Have you heard?"

Sanzo went back to reading his scroll. "Yeah. What of it?"

Hakkai shrugged, his smile still plastered to his face. "I don't think it would be safe for Meika to go running off on her own anymore. She told me her new friend had a power limiter like mine."

"What do you want me to do about it? She does as she pleases. I'm not her father." Sanzo growled.

Hakkai sighed. "No, but you are the closest thing she has to one. I'm sure she'd listen to you." He turned to leave. "Gojyo and I will leave tomorrow morning."

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"Why do you have to leave!? You just got here." Meika pouted. She grabbed Gojyo's pant leg.

Gojyo laughed and picked her up. "We're not leaving right now. We'll stay tonight and then leave in the morning."

"Why can't I go with you?" Meika rested her head on Gojyo's shoulder as she looked up at him.

"Trust me, you wouldn't want to come with us. You'd get bored." Gojyo kissed the top of her head.

"Will you stay with me tonight then?" Meika put on her best puppy eyes.

Gojyo grinned. "How could I possibly say no to that face?"

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**So, the next chapter will begin their adventure to India. How will Meika cope on the journey? Review to find out!**


	9. The Journey Begins

**Cutie Goku: If you have any ideas, by all means, pm them to me! I love hearing ideas from my readers! Drop me a line anytime!**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: Yes, it was Kougaiji in disguise that she met. **

**my friend: please don't throw an opossum at me! They have rabies!**

**Thank you to: Sakural7865, XxBloodyRiverxX, Sakura02, i love athrun, and krystal for reviewing! You guys are awesome! **

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"Goku-nichan, where are you?" Meika pouted as she wandered around the temple. Her hair was up in pigtails with green lace ribbons tying them up. Her red eyes scanned her surroundings frantically. She wore a green Chinese dress with matching green slippers. "Goku-nichan, this isn't funny!"

"I'm up here, Meika!"

Meika looked up into the giant peach tree and saw Goku. Her eyes brightened and she climbed up the tree and sat on the same branch as Goku. Her smile faded and she glared at Goku. "You're not supposed to eat those! The priest will get mad and yell at you again!"

Goku rolled his eyes and shoved a peach in Meika's hands. "So what? They're all way too uptight. Besides, it's your birthday today so we can just say we were celebrating."

Meika hesitated. It was true that she was turning five today. It had been five years since Goku had found her and brought her back to the temple. "Well, if you think they won't get mad then I guess it's okay." The two sat in the tree, happily eating their fruit until the priest came along.

"You two get out of that tree right now!"

"Those peaches are offerings! They're not for you two to eat whenever you please!"

"What's going on out here?" Sanzo had stepped outside, irritated by all the noise. He glared up into the tree. "Goku, Meika, get out of the tree. We're leaving."

Meika hopped down and gracefully landed on her feet. "Where are we going, Sanzo?"

"We're meeting up with Hakkai and Gojyo. Go pack a bag and be ready to leave in an hour."

Goku began hopping around Sanzo excitedly, earning him a smack across the head with Sanzo's paper fan. Meika smiled and skipped happily to the room she shared with Goku. She stuffed a small bag with clothes. Goku came in and began packing his bag.

"This is awesome, Meika! We get to see Hakkai and Gojyo again! It's been forever since we've seen them!"

Meika smiled and nodded. She was ready to leave the room when she looked over to her bed. Sitting against the pillow was a small brown teddy bear with a red bow around its neck. She ran over and picked it up, hugging it close to her.

"Hurry up you two!" Sanzo entered the room, clearly annoyed. "What's taking so long?"

Meika winced and held the teddy bear out. "I almost forgot Go-chan!"

Sanzo sighed. "Whatever. Let's go you two."

The trio made their way out of the temple and began the long walk to meet up with Hakkai and Gojyo.

"Sanzo, are we there yet? I'm so hungry I don't think I can walk anymore!"

Meika giggled as Sanzo began pummeling Goku into the ground. "Goku-nichan, you shouldn't annoy Sanzo like that."

Sanzo stopped beating Goku and glared at him. "Just get up and start walking."

Goku huffed and rubbed the back of his head. "Why do we need to meet up with Hakkai and Gojyo anyways?"

Sanzo hesitated. "I need to confirm something."

Meika came over and sat down by Goku, playing with Go-chan. "Is something wrong, Sanzo?"

Sanzo sighed and explained his meeting with the Three Aspects. The two listened intently. When Sanzo was finished, Goku nodded his head knowingly.

"So we just need to go to India and tell them to stop the experiments, right? So why do you need to talk to Gojyo and Hakkai?"

Sanzo rubbed his head. "That's…Meika move!"

Sanzo pushed Meika out of the way. Goku summoned his staff and deflected the youkai that had jumped down at them. Sanzo barely dodged a swing aimed at him. He knocked the youkai out with a swift hit to the back of the youkai's neck. Meika remained off to the side until a youkai tried to attack her. She screamed and summoned a giant ball of water to throw at the youkai. She then ran over to stand beside Sanzo and Goku as the youkai surrounded them.

Meika looked up at Sanzo with scared eyes. "Sanzo …"

Sanzo put a reassuring hand on Meika's head. "Don't be scared."

Goku looked around frantically for an opening. "Are these all youkai that have gone over to Gyumaoh's side?"

Sanzo nodded mutely. The youkai were all screaming about devouring them. Meika was trembling and clutching tightly at Sanzo's robe. Just as the youkai were about to attack, they were sliced into pieces. The trio looked up.

Goku's face broke into a grin. "Gojyo! Hakkai!"

Gojyo and Hakkai jumped down. Gojyo and Goku immediately began arguing. Hakkai and Sanzo were talking quietly to each other. Meika went over and tugged on Gojyo's pants.

Gojyo looked down and grinned. He picked Meika up and held her up in the air. "Hello there, Princess. How's my little Meika doing?"

Meika smiled and hugged Gojyo tightly. "I'm fine, Gojyo. Did you remember today is my birthday?"

Gojyo hugged her back. "Of course. Once we're done with these guys, Hakkai and I will give you our presents." Gojyo peered over Meika's shoulder and moved her so he was holding her in one arm. "Look away, Meika."

A youkai was running towards them. Gojyo held his hand out and crushed the youkai's skull. "You idiot."

Meika stayed close to Gojyo as the fight continued. She helped narrow the numbers down slightly by using some of her magic.

One of the youkai stared closely at Goku, Gojyo, Hakkai, and Meika. He pointed an accusing finger at them. "You four are youkai! Why are you fighting us?"

Goku grinned. "We'll tell you if your still alive to hear us!" The Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai began attacking the remaining youkai. Meika stood off to the side. She was getting tired from using so much of her energy. Once they had gotten rid of the rest of the youkai, Gojyo and Goku began congratulating each other. Meika went over to Hakkai and pulled on his hand.

Hakkai picked her up and hugged her tightly. "Hello, Meika-chan. I'm sorry I didn't get to say hello to you earlier. Happy Birthday by the way."

Meika grinned and returned the hug. "It's okay, Hakkai-chan and thank you." She smiled brightly when Hakuryu landed on Hakkai's shoulder. She patted him on the head lovingly. "Hi, Hakuryu!"

Suddenly, one of the youkai grabbed Goku's ankle. The four youkai looked down in annoyance.

The youkai smirked. "Wait. We are brothers. Why are you fighting alongside the humans? You should fight with your brothers!"

The three males quickly disposed of the annoying youkai. Meika stuck her tongue out at his dead body. Goku rolled his eyes. "Since the day I was born and until the day I die, the only side I'm on is my own."

Sanzo stared at the four blankly for a moment. "Let's go to the west."

It had been a few days since the attack in the forest and the group was now all sitting comfortably in Jeep. Meika was sitting in between Gojyo and Goku, sleeping peacefully until….

"You can't have shotgun, Gojyo! Your smoke blows back and hits me in the face!"

Gojyo laughed. "Oh, sorry. I forgot we have **two** kids in the back."

Goku growled and the two began arguing. Meika rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and crawled into the front and climbed down into the floorboard under Sanzo's feet. She leaned against his legs and fell back asleep.

Sanzo could feel another migraine coming on. "Either you two shut up or I'm going to make you run to India."

Hakkai laughed. "I'm sure we'll reach a town soon."

Meika let out a sigh of content and snuggled closer to Sanzo's legs. She now wore her hair in a ponytail with a pretty silk green ribbon that Hakkai had given her. Around her neck was a small pendant with a red flower jewel from Gojyo.

The group reached the outskirts of a town. Gojyo and Goku jumped out to go scout for an inn. Meika had finally awoken and was now sitting in the backseat, looking around with wide, curious eyes. When they finally found Gojyo and Goku again, the two were busy beating up a random guy.

Sanzo snarled and stood up in the jeep. "I thought I told you two to keep a low profile!"

Hakkai laughed. "Well, we don't exactly blend in either, Sanzo."

Meika hopped out of the jeep and went over to Gojyo. She tugged on his hand insistently until he picked her up and put her on his shoulders.

Goku smiled at a girl sitting in shock in the street. "Hey, is there an inn we can stay at?"

The girl led them to an inn and the first thing the group did was sit down to eat. Meika was sitting in Hakkai's lap so she could reach the food better. She winced when she saw Goku stuffing his face.

"Goku-nichan, your table manners are terrible."

"Yeah," Gojyo added. "chew with your damn mouth closed! This ain't a zoo! You need to set a good example for our precious Meika!"

Goku growled. "Give me my pork back, you bastard!"

They argued for about two more minutes before Sanzo had had enough. He took out his paper fan and smacked them both in the head. "Eat quietly damnit!"

Hakkai laughed and called for more tea. He smoothed Meika's hair down and filled her plate with more food. "You need to eat more, Meika-chan. Those priest didn't feed you enough."

Meika smiled and went back to eating. When Goku had brought her to the temple, it had been Hakkai that had made sure she was fed and that Sanzo would be able to properly care for her. Hakkai was almost like a mother to her since she couldn't remember her own mother. Meika was also very shy around women simply because she was raised around men and never really met any women.

Meika looked up in time to see Gojyo shove Goku's head onto an empty plate of food.

Sanzo looked over to the owner of the inn and Houmei. "By the way, have you noticed any strange behavior in the youkai in this area?"

The owner winced. "That's one way of putting it. Awhile ago, all the youkai disappeared and left ten dead humans that they had eaten. We have no idea what caused them to do it."

"I hate youkai!" Houmei screamed. "They're just monsters that eat people. Humans and youkai can never live together!"

The owner of the inn scolded her. "I'm sorry, the wound is close for her. One of her friends was killed by the youkai."

There was an awkward silence that Hakkai finally broke. "Did you cook all of this, Houmei-san?"

Houmei nodded which caused Goku to jump up excitedly. "Wow, you're amazing! This is the best food I've had in a long time!"

The group finally made their way into one room. Gojyo, Goku, and Hakkai began playing cards. Sanzo was deep in thought and Meika was sitting on Gojyo's lap, watching the card game intently.

The group had been playing for a few hours and now Meika was sound asleep. The guys stopped playing cards and cleared the bed off. Gojyo took Meika's hair out of the ponytail and smoothed her long red hair down. He tucked her in and smiled when she grabbed his hand in her sleep.

"I can't believe you found her in a trashcan, Goku."

Goku looked up. "Yeah. I can't believe anyone would do that to a baby. Do you think it's because she's a half-blood?"

Hakkai nodded. "That may be why. We'll never know."

The group discussed what was happening in the world for about an hour when a large group of people walked by.

"Oh yeah," Goku said "The owner said there was a large group staying tonight. Look at all of them."

Gojyo smirked. "Oh, I'm looking. Those dancing girls are hot! I wonder if I could get one to come dance on my bed."

"Why would you want a girl to dance on your bed?" Meika was sitting up and giving Gojyo a questioning look.

Hakkai laughed nervously and patted Meika on the head. "Don't you worry about that, Meika-chan. Gojyo was just kidding."

"Hey, Sanzo, we have a problem. Houmei said the group reserved all their larger rooms so they only have singles." Goku said.

Sanzo thought for a moment. "It's a good idea to stay as close together as possible since we don't know when we'll be attacked. On the other hand, I'm sick of seeing all your faces so everyone fend for themselves tonight."

Gojyo headed towards the door to go to his own room when he felt a weight attach itself to his leg. He looked down and saw Meika pouting up at him.

"I want to stay with you tonight."

Gojyo scooped her up into his arms and placed his forehead against hers. "Not tonight, Meika."

Meika sniffled, tears forming in her eyes. "Why not? Did I do something to make you hate me?"

Gojyo winced. "No, Meika. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Gojyo just knows that I wanted to spend some time with you so you're going to stay with me tonight." Hakkai said quickly. "Right, Gojyo?"

Gojyo smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Hakkai's gotten to spend the least amount of time with you since he's the driver and all. Next time you can stay with me. Is that okay?"

Meika nodded and kissed Gojyo on the cheek. "Okay. Night night, Gojyo."

Gojyo kissed the top of Meika's head and handed her over to Hakkai. "Good night, my precious flower."

Meika giggled at the nickname. She said good night to Sanzo and Goku as they left. Hakkai tucked her back in and then rested next to her. He stroked her hair soothingly until he heard her breathing even out, indicating that she had fallen asleep. He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Sleep well, Little Flower."

Meika slept through the youkai attempting to attack Hakkai. She woke up when Gojyo ran into the room.

"Hakkai, are you and Meika okay?!"

Meika crawled out of the bed and saw the youkai laying on the floor. She jumped over the youkai and attached herself to Gojyo. She let out a small sigh of content when Gojyo picked her up and held her close.

They heard a loud noise from next door and quickly ran into the hallway in time to see a youkai come flying out of Goku's room. Hakkai was the first to enter the room.

"Goku, are you okay?"

Goku looked up at them sleepily. "Is it time for breakfast?"

The other three sighed in relief. Meika began tugging impatiently at Gojyo's hair. "We need to go check on Sanzo."

The three made their way down the hallway. Gojyo put Meika down just outside Sanzo's door. He kneeled down so he was eye to eye with her. "Listen very carefully, Meika. You stay out here and wait for us."

Meika huffed. "I want to help."

Gojyo frowned. "No way. Hakkai's going to start up your training again once we leave this town but right now, you just need to wait for us. Do it for me, okay?"

Meika hesitated and then reluctantly nodded. "Beat up those youkai real good, Gojyo."

Gojyo smiled and ran into the room. Meika sat outside, listening to the sounds from inside. She looked up when Houmei's father ran towards the room but said nothing. She closed her eyes and waited for the fight to be over. She hated being useless. For her, the four men in there were her family and saviors. They had taken her in when no one else would even spare her a glance. They had given her a name and raised her. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Now why is my precious little flower crying?"

Meika looked up to see Gojyo standing over her. She let out a choked sob and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry I'm so useless."

Gojyo sighed and picked her up. "You're not useless. You're just a young. You shouldn't have to worry about fighting. Besides, you wouldn't have liked this youkai. She was a scary spider lady."

Meika squealed and buried her face in Gojyo's shoulder as he tickled her. "I hate spiders! They're all creepy and spidery!"

Gojyo laughed and ruffled her hair. "See? Now, no more tears, okay?"

Hakkai and the others came out. Hakkai smiled and cooed to Meika. "Were you a good girl while we were fighting?"

Meika beamed. "Yes, Hakkai. I waited out here like Gojyo told me to."

Sanzo sighed as he lit a cigarette. "Let's get the hell out of here."

The group made their way outside where Hakuryu was still in his jeep form. They climbed in with Hakkai and Sanzo in the front and Gojyo and Goku in the back. Gojyo let Meika curl up in his lap and held her until she fell asleep.

The owner of the inn walked out. "You're leaving already?"

Hakkai nodded. "Unfortunately, we're on a very tight schedule."

"Sorry for the trouble, old man." Gojyo said.

The owner laughed. "Ah, don't worry about it. The important thing is we're all safe."

Houmei ran out clutching a large wrapped box. She held it out to the Sanzo group. "I made all of you lunch. Please accept it."

Goku grinned. "Houmei, you're the best!"

Meika was startled awake when Gojyo and Goku began fighting over the food. She sighed and crawled out of Gojyo's lap and once again placed herself in the floorboard by Sanzo's legs.

Sanzo turned around. "That's it, I'm confiscating it!"

Meika smiled happily as Sanzo handed her a pork bun. She ate it happily, glad things were back to normal.

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**Review and let me know your thoughts!**


	10. Lost

**Ugh, I just spent a week trapped in an RV with one of the most idiotic people I've ever met.**

**XxBloodyRiverxX: I don't know why I had her stop calling them by their nicknames. I might have to have her start doing it again since that would be pretty amusing.**

**Thank you so much to: cheeky half-demon, Silver Wolf Demon, Sakural7865, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, i love athrun, Goku's elegy, Sakura02, and krystal for your reviews! You guys rock!**

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Goku ran frantically through the town. How could he have lost her? He was supposed to keep an eye on Meika while the others gathered information and supplies. Why oh why had that meat bun smelled so delicious? "Meika-chan, where'd you go???"

"Um, excuse me," A woman timidly approached the hysterical Goku. "are you looking for someone?"

Goku turned teary eyes to the woman. "Have you seen a little girl? She's really short and she's got cute red hair that's up in cute little buns with cute little green ribbons and…and she's got these really big cute red eyes that she uses to make the cutest puppy dog eyes."

The woman was taken aback for a moment before she giggled. "Ah, I think I know who you are talking about." She turned on her heel and motioned for Goku to follow her. "I found her wandering around crying. She was holding a teddy bear."

"Yeah, that's Meika-chan." Goku said, relieved. Sanzo wouldn't kill him. At least, not for this. "Where is she?"

"I took her back to my house. She's been crying in a corner the whole time and won't talk to me." The woman sighed sadly. "I hope I didn't scare her."

Goku laughed. "You probably didn't do anything. Meika-chan is scared of women 'cause she's not used to them."

The woman smiled. "I'm Yanmei."

"I'm Goku." Goku finally noticed the woman's appearance. She was pretty. She was probably only a couple of years older than him. She had long black hair tied back with blue bow that matched her blue eyes.

"Ah, here we are." Yanmei opened the door to a small house. "Little girl, I think I found someone you might want to see."

"GoGo!" Meika shouted as she tackled Goku to the ground. There were still tears in her eyes but she was trying to hide them. "I was so scared!"

Goku smiled as he hugged her. "It's okay, Meika-chan! I'm so sorry I lost you! I swear it won't happen again!" He grinned up at Yanmei. "Thank you so much for taking care of her."

Yanmei smiled as she looked at Meika. "You're so lucky to have such a nice brother."

Meika blinked up at Yanmei. She shifted nervously under the woman's unwavering smile and buried her face in Goku's neck. "Can we go back to the hotel, GoGo?"

Goku sighed. "You need to thank Yanmei first."

Meika shifted her eyes so she could barely see Yanmei in her peripheral. What strange creatures women were to her. Yanmei's smile reminded Meika so much of Hakkai's. But Yanmei looked nothing like Hakkai. She looked…softer. Plus, she had strange bumps on her chest. "What's wrong with your chest? Are you sick?"

Yanmei blinked before giggling. She smiled at Goku. "My goodness, she really has been raised by all boys." Yanmei knelt down so she was eye level with Meika. "When you grow up, Meika, you're going to be a very pretty girl and your family is going to have a hard time keeping boys away."

Meika squeaked and buried her face in Goku's shoulder. "Can we go now?"

"All right." Goku smiled sheepishly at Yanmei. "Since she won't say it, I will. Thanks for taking care of her. I know she can be a handful." He bowed and left the house. He frowned at Meika. "You should have said thank you."

Meika lifted her face up, a bright smile on her face. "Guess what, GoGo. I found out something neat today. Ms. Yanmei was really nice to me. She wasn't like the mean people that lived by the temple. Do you think I'll be pretty like Ms. Yanmei said?"

Goku laughed. "Definitely. Don't worry though, I'll protect you from all those creepy guys."

"Ah," Hakkai smiled as he noticed Goku wandering around with Meika in his arms. "did you two stay out of trouble?"

Meika wiggled out of Goku's arms and ran over to Hakkai. "Hey, HaHa, I went on an adventure!"

"Did you now?" Sanzo said as he walked up. He lit a cigarette and glared at a nervous looking Goku. "What kind of adventure?"

"Well, GoGo got distracted by meat buns so I got lost and then this lady found me and I was really scared of her at first but she was actually really nice! And she said I was gonna be pretty when I got bigger and that you guys would have a hard time fighting off boys!"

Hakkai laughed as he picked Meika up. "That does sound fun." He sighed. "Sanzo, please don't shoot Goku in public. We don't want to cause a scene."

Sanzo huffed as he stowed his gun away. "Fine. Once we get to the hotel though…"

Goku felt like crying as they made their way back to the hotel.

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**Sorry it's so short guys. I'm tired and I have to get up for work in the morning. Bleh. Review and let me know your thoughts!**


	11. The Temple

**Blah. I hate Mondays. Ah well. At least I have tomorrow off!**

**cheeky half-demon: Eventually, yes, we shall discover Meika's origins. Right now, it is a mystery to all…including me.**

**Sakura02: Great, now I picture Meika with one of those monkey backpack leashes. **

**Thanks to: Cutie Goku, XxBloodyRiverxX, Goku's elegy, Sakural7865, i love athrun, krystal, CrippledSoul, Holysinner5527, CBarbie92, and FMASaiyukiFanatic. You guys are totally awesome and I heart all of you!**

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There was somebody smiling at Meika. She couldn't tell who it was. The person's upper face was covered in shadow. But she could see the smile. It was so filled with love and it was directed at her.

It was a woman, that much she was sure of. The sun behind the woman made her black hair seem to glisten in the blinding light. Something else was glistening in the light though. The woman was crying despite the beautiful smile on her face.

Meika reached up with tiny hands. In the back of her mind, she realized this was a memory. Her mother was smiling through her tears as she put her baby into the trashcan. Why? How could someone that gave such a loving smile do something so horrible?

"Meika-chaaan, wake up!" Goku whined. "You're making the backpack really heavy!"

Slowly, Meika's red eyes cracked open. Indeed, she was inside the pack that Goku was heaving through the mountain pass. Hakuryuu was hovering nervously beside the child's head. Meika rubbed the sleep from her eyes and blinked when she felt how wet her eyes were.

"Are you okay, Meika?" Gojyo came over and scooped Meika up out of the backpack. He wiped the remaining moisture from Meika's eyes gently before showering her with kisses on her cheeks and forehead. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"I…don't know." Flashes of a woman zoomed through her mind but quickly vanished. She wrapped her small arms around Gojyo. "Please, don't leave me."

Sanzo raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He lit another cigarette. "Hurry up, damn monkey."

Goku cried out in protest. "Hey! I'm the one carrying the backpack and I was carrying Meika too until Gojyo took her! I'm tired!"

Hakkai sighed. "I don't think we'll get out of the mountains before nightfall. We need to find a place to camp."

"What about there?" Meika asked as she pointed to a rather large temple.

Gojyo grinned and ruffled her hair. "You're such a clever girl."

Hakkai frowned. "I don't think that would be wise. Temples as a general rule don't allow girls into their walls. Meika would have to stay outside." He didn't bother mentioning the temple Sanzo resided in. If anyone had dared to question Meika's presence, well, it usually ended badly for said person.

Meika squeaked and clung tighter to Gojyo. "I don't wanna sleep outside by myself! It's scary!"

"Goku, let me see the bag." Hakkai began rummaging through the pack before a glint of triumph appeared in his eye. He took Meika from Gojyo and led her behind a small boulder.

"What're you doin', Hakkai?" Goku asked as he attempted to peek behind the boulder.

Hakkai emerged a moment later with Meika holding his hand tightly. He grinned in a self-satisfied manner.

Meika's red hair was completely pulled up and hidden under a brown newsboy hat. Her green dress was replaced by pants that were too long for her and an oversized t-shirt.

"She looks like an orphan." Sanzo said as he blew out a puff of smoke.

"Well, I am." Meika answered plainly.

Gojyo picked her back up and nuzzled his cheek with hers. "You look so adorable, Meika!"

"Sanzo," Goku whined. "Gojyo's being a pedophile."

"Shut up, damn monkey!" Gojyo snarled as he handed Meika back to Hakkai.

"What'd you call me, you damn kappa!?" Goku screeched.

Meika blinked up at Hakkai. "What's a pedophile, HaHa?"

Hakkai laughed and patted her hat covered head. "I'll tell you when you're older."

"What is all this racket!?" A monk poked his head out of window and frowned disapprovingly down at the group. "Away with you, commoners. This is a holy place!"

Gojyo felt his eye twitch. "So much for the kindness of monks."

"Saannzooo, I'm tired!" Goku whined.

The monk's face immediately changed when he noticed Sanzo. He quickly ushered the group into the temple and into the main room where the head monk was waiting.

"It is an honor to have you here at our temple, Priest Genjo Sanzo." The head monk said, bowing his head.

Sanzo bowed his head at all. "The pleasure is ours. My companions and I seek shelter for the night."

A monk stepped forward. "We'd be honored if you stayed with us but…" he glanced disapprovingly over at the rest of the group. "…we don't generally allow outsiders into our temple. Unless of course, these men are your disciples."

Sanzo glanced at the group. "Them? No. They're my slaves."

Meika giggled as Gojyo put her down. She watched as Hakkai had to hold both Gojyo and Goku back from maiming Sanzo. "ZoZo, you made GoGo and JoJo angry."

The head monk noticed Meika for the first time. "Ah, this child too is your slave?"

Sanzo motioned Meika forward. As soon as she was by his side, he placed his hand on her head. It was the only gesture of 'affection' towards her he would show in front of others. "No. This is Michio, my disciple."

"But that's not—" Meika squeaked as Sanzo pushed down hard on her head. "That hurt, ZoZo!" She sniffled as tears filled the corners of her eyes. The harsh glare she received from Sanzo shut her up. She had almost forgotten that girls weren't allowed in temples. Sanzo had made up a name for her to protect her. She smiled brightly up at him and took his hand in hers.

The head monk raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He motioned for one of the monks to lead the group to their best guest room. The group had only been in the room for a few minutes when plates of food were brought to them.

"You need to eat more, Meika." Hakkai chastised as he put more vegetables on Meika's plate. "You haven't been getting the proper nutrition these past few days. It's not good for your growth."

Meika pouted but ate all her vegetables while she sat in Sanzo's lap. She grinned up at him with a carrot sticking out of the corner of her mouth. "I'm sorry I almost messed everything up, ZoZo."

Sanzo plucked the carrot from the corner of Meika's mouth and hit Gojyo in the head with it. "Just don't let it happen again."

"Hello." A young boy walked into the room with cups of tea on a tray. He smiled brightly at the group. "My name is Yo. Please, if you need anything, do not hesitate to call me."

"This sucks." Gojyo groaned. "I wanted a chick."

"How disgusting!" Yo shouted. "Women are forbidden in this sacred place!"

Meika flinched and snuggled closer to Sanzo. She really didn't want to get in trouble. She blinked when Yo gave her an incredulous stare. "What?"

"Why are you sitting in the great Sanzo's lap!?" Yo shrieked.

Meika blinked. "What's wrong with that? I always do. Well," she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "not first thing in the morning. ZoZo's always really cranky in the morning. I usually sit in HaHa or JoJo's lap."

Yo opened his mouth to say more but Hakkai shooed the boy out.

Meika stuck her tongue out at his departing back. She looked up at Sanzo. "He wants to take you away from me."

Sanzo looked down at her as he put his reading glasses on and lit a cigarette. "That's nice. Hakkai."

Hakkai pulled out a set of mahjong and began setting it up on the table. The four men sat around the table with Meika remaining in Sanzo's lap.

"I'm not gonna let him take you away from me." Meika continued. She tilted her head up to look at Sanzo better. "You were my ZoZo first!"

"If you be quiet, I'll teach you how to play." Sanzo said. He made sure to blow the cigarette smoke away from Meika's face.

A few short hours into the game, Yo came bursting into the room. His face was scandalized to say the least. Maybe it was due to the fact that his idol, Sanzo was smoking and playing mahjong. It could also have been due to all the beer cans strewn about or the porn magazine that was poking out of the group's bag. "What's going on!?"

Another monk came rushing in to see what was going on. He glared accusingly at Gojyo and the others. He let out a sigh of annoyance, as though he expected nothing less from a non-holy person. "I don't understand how you can surround yourself with such low class scum. Even your little disciple is no better than them."

Meika squeaked as she was suddenly thrown into Gojyo's lap. She held fast to her hat to make sure she didn't lose it. She grinned as Sanzo scared the poor monk. She hopped out of Gojyo's lap. "I'm gonna go explore, ZoZo."

Hakkai smiled. "Don't stay gone too long. You need to get to bed at a good time."

"Okay, HaHa." Meika skipped out of the room and down the hallway. There wasn't much to see. The decorations, the statues, everything was similar to the temple she had grown up in. The only difference was that most of the monks were much nicer to her. She realized it was due to the fact that Sanzo had claimed her as his disciple. The thought made her happy, even though she knew she couldn't really be his disciple. For Sanzo to claim her as his own made her happy though. Almost like an orphan being adopted.

The sound of an explosion jolted her out of her happy cloud. She barely managed to curl up in a tight ball and avoid the rocks flying at her. Her hat flew off in the explosion, her red hair whipping around before resting on her back. She peeked up when she heard one of the monk's scream.

"Well, what's a cute little girl doing in this place?" The youkai leered down at her.

Meika's instincts kicked in. She quickly ran backwards away from the danger. She didn't realize whom she was beside until he spoke.

"You…you're a girl!" Yo cried.

Meika raised an eyebrow. "And you're a boy."

Yo opened his mouth to retort but his comeback was lost as he watched the youkai kill more monks. He blinked when Meika stood protectively in front of him. "What are you doing?"

Meika summoned a small ball of water into her hand. "Protecting you, duh." She charged at the youkai as it threw another dead monk to the side. Her first attack hit him mostly due to the fact that the youkai hadn't been expecting it.

He was ready for the second attack and managed to deflect it. He punched Meika hard in the stomach and laughed.

"Hey now, it's not nice to hit children."

Meika managed to grin despite the tears falling from her eyes. "JoJo!"

The youkai grinned manically. "So, you are the youkai traitors! Prepare to meet your doom!"

Goku stuck his tongue out. "I don't like his attitude; minus 20."

Hakkai nodded in agreement. "He has a very pitiful laugh; minus 15." He smiled down at Meika. "Meika, stay put. We'll take care of this."

Meika watched in awe as Gojyo and Goku managed to land a few hits on the youkai. She wished she could be strong like them. She hated having to depend on them. She gasped as the youkai threw rocks at Hakkai and the others. "That's cheating!"

The youkai had almost forgotten about her. He grinned as he grabbed her arm roughly with one hand while his other arm transformed into a blade. He managed to push Goku away when Goku charged angrily at him. "If you don't surrender, I'll cut this little brat's head off!"

Meika winced as she felt the blade coming towards her. She shut her eyes and hoped it wouldn't hurt. She opened them when she felt nothing. She grinned. "ZoZo!"

Sanzo smirked at her before punching the youkai in the face. He pulled Meika behind him. "Why can't you just stay out of trouble?" He walked over to where the youkai was trying to get up. "Who the hell are you? Do you work for Kougaiji?"

The youkai growled before he began to glow. "I won't let someone that reeks of blood and calls himself a monk tell me when I'm going to die."

Sanzo scooped Meika up into his arms and barely managed to move away before the youkai exploded. He glared down at Meika. "You are a pain in my ass."

Meika sniffled. "I'm sorry, ZoZo." That was all she could choke out before she began to cry.

"Jeez, could you be more of an asshole, Sanzo?" Gojyo said as he walked over. He picked Meika up and cooed to her. "Don't worry. The scary youkai is gone."

"Who…are you people?" Yo asked, coming out of his shock. He glared accusingly at all of them. "How dare you take refuge here with such unclean souls. And to bring a woman in here! A freak of a woman at that! You…You've spilt blood! Taking a life is wrong no matter what the reason!"

"Hey, can it kid." Sanzo growled. "If you make her cry more than she already is, I'll make you deal with it."

Gojyo grinned over at the kid. "In this world it's kill or be killed. I'd hate to tell you this but, we're still alive." He frowned when he felt Meika bury her face in his neck. "Hey now, no more crying."

Meika stood off to the side while the monks gave Hakkai and the others directions. She looked up as Yo cautiously approached her. "What?" She didn't like being stared at.

Yo blushed and quickly looked away. "Thank you…for saving me earlier. I apologize for the horrible things I said about you."

Meika tilted her head to the side before a grin broke her face. She giggled at the startled squeak Yo made when she hugged him. "It's okay. I forgive you."

"Hey, brat, it's time to go!" Sanzo shouted as he and the others began to walk away.

"Um…what's your name!?" Yo called out as Meika ran to catch up with her group.

Meika looked over her shoulder and grinned. "Meika!"

Yo waved. "Goodbye, Meika! Priest Sanzo, if you come back, will you teach me mahjong?"

Sanzo stopped walking to allow Meika to catch up. He allowed a small smile to grace his face. "I'll see what I can do."

"Bye, Yo-chan!" Meika waved goodbye one last time before taking Sanzo's hand in hers. "I liked him. He was really nice."

"No!" Gojyo wailed. He kneeled down and hugged Meika tightly, nuzzling his cheek against hers. "My Precious Flower is too young to like boys!"

Sanzo sighed as he felt another migraine coming on. "Would you shut up?"

Meika giggled as the group continued walking. She listened to Gojyo and Goku begin fighting again. Was she really too young to like boys? Perhaps it would be better to not tell Gojyo she had met her first love one year ago. She idly wondered what Kou-san was doing and if she would ever meet him again.

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**Yay! It's a semi-long chapter! I hope you all liked it! Review and let me know your thoughts!**


	12. Mother Figure Part 1

**I'm so sorry that I just disappeared for two weeks! You see, I've been writing this original novel for…three years now. I finally had the story down and knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. I, being the crazy person that I am, decided I wanted to complete the novel before school started in one week. I wrote thirteen chapters in one week guys! I finished the first draft! I was so happy, I cried like a baby. **

**That next week, school and work started back up and it was way too crazy to try and write anything. Now that I've got my schedule down, I'm going to get back to updating! Thank you all for being so patient with me!**

**Yay!! We're over 100 reviews!!! You guys are super amazing!**

**cheeky half-demon: Hopefully it will continue to thicken. If it thinned, that would mean it was almost over and we have a very long way to go before that.**

**Sakura02: If any boys flocked to Meika, Sanzo would put a cap in 'em. **

**nsomniacartist: Yes, I am following the manga for this story. Ah! I didn't know that! Hm, I'll have to figure out what happens.**

**Thank you to: Sakura17865, Haruna Uchiha, XxBloodyRiverxX, i love athrun, SugarLandBabyGirl, thea, FMASaiyukiFanatic, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, and uber-uke for reviewing! Also, I wanna give a shout out to lelouch-chan! Thanks so much for all the messages! You're an awesome person to talk to and have awesome ideas!**

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It was a normal day as the group traveled on in the cramped Jeep. Meika was snuggled quite comfortably in between Sanzo and Hakkai, her head rested on Sanzo's lap and her eyes shut. Her breathing was slow and even as she dosed off. She was still dressed in the boy clothes that she had worn at the temple, seeing as she rather liked the outfit, particularly the hat. She was clutching the hat tightly to her chest since Sanzo wouldn't let her sleep with it on, claiming it could fall over her face and suffocate her and she would really rather not suffocate to death.

Hakkai glanced down when he felt a small kick at his side. He smiled and patted Meika's leg. "She's so cute and quiet when she's asleep."

"That's the only time she's either." Sanzo mumbled grumpily. He kept an arm wrapped firmly around her middle just on the off chance that they may have to break abruptly.

Goku and Gojyo were once again fighting in the back seat. Goku was flailing his arms, accusing Gojyo of cheating in their card game while Gojyo simply insulted the young monkey.

"I swear if either of you wakes the brat up, I'm going to kill you." Sanzo growled. He felt his patience wearing thin as the two began rocking the jeep with their violent movements. "Damnit, cut it out!"

Meika blinked and slowly sat up. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes before plopping her hat back on her head. She looked up at Hakkai with half-lidded eyes. "HaHa, are we in the town yet?"

Hakkai laughed as Sanzo attempted to whap Goku and Gojyo with his paper fan. "Not quite yet. Go on back to sleep."

"I don't want to." Meika turned around and peered in the back. She giggled as Sanzo's attacks became more violent. "Why're you mad at GoGo and JoJo, ZoZo?"

Sanzo looked down, realizing for the first time that Meika was awake. His eyes turned murderous as he looked back at the two cowering in the backseat. "You woke her up!" His attacks became even more aggressive.

Goku stumbled forward as Sanzo whapped him upside the head. He fell into the front seat, nearly squashing Meika. He grabbed the steering wheel to help catch himself.

The group was suddenly careening over the edge of a small cliff. Meika giggled excitedly while Gojyo screamed. Hakuryuu turned back into his dragon form in midair, abandoning the group to their watery fate.

Sanzo was the first to emerge from the water. His mood was already sour from being soaked to the bone and it did not improve as Gojyo and Goku continued bickering. He stomped over to them, grabbed them both by the backs of their heads, and promptly attempted to drown the two. "Just die!"

The group froze as they heard a woman's laughter. They turned to find a woman standing on the shore, laughing at them. She wiped tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh at all of you."

Gojyo grinned. She was rather pretty. He frowned as he looked down at their bag. "Our spare clothes are all wet."

Goku looked around. "Hey, where's Meika?"

* * *

Meika shivered as she pulled herself from the water. She was wet and cold and she had no clue where she was. She wrung the water from her hat before plopping it back on her head. "ZoZo?" She called. "Where are you guys?" She was in a forest, all alone. She wasn't used to being alone. "ZoZo? HaHa? GoGo? JoJo?" When she got no answer, she began to cry.

"Now, what's a little girl doing out here all by herself?"

Meika blinked and looked up. A very tall man stood before her. His hair was a dark brown, almost black. He was muscular, wearing no shirt. A smile was on his face as he knelt down to Meika's level. She sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes. She quickly spun on her heels and walked away, deeper into the forest.

The man blinked and followed her. "Hey, little girl, if you're looking for the village, that's the wrong way." He frowned as she continued to ignore him. He caught up to her quickly enough and grabbed her arm. "Where's your family? I want to help you."

"Let go." Meika sniffled out. She attempted to pull her arm out of the man's grip. "I'm not supposed to talk to strangers. I'll get in trouble if I do."

The man was silent for a moment before laughing. "Ah, I'm sorry. I should've introduced myself to you first. I'm Dokugakuji but you can call me Doku."

Meika scrutinized Doku for a moment before her eyes widened. "You're a demon!"

"I am indeed." He noticed for the first time the red hair poking out from under Meika's soggy hat and her round red eyes. "Are you a half-breed?"

"I don't know." Meika answered. "GoGo found me in a trashcan so I don't know my mommy or my daddy."

Doku tilted his head to the side. "GoGo?"

"Yup. We were driving in the jeep and then GoGo fell on Haha and then we fell off a cliff and the river carried me away and now I gotta find them!" Meika answered in one breath.

Doku straightened up. "Well, they're probably in the village back that way. I can take you there since I have some spare time right now." He held his hand out to Meika.

Meika stared at his hand dubiously for a moment. "You aren't gonna kidnap me and eat me?" Her ears reddened at Doku's deep laughter.

"I assure you, I have no intentions of eating you. What's your name, by the way?"

"I'm Meika." She grinned as she took his hand, watching in awe as her tiny hand disappeared in his giant one. "JoJo named me."

"What a pretty name." Doku smiled as he escorted Meika through the forest. Seeing she was having a difficult time keeping up with his long strides, he scooped her up in his arms and placed her on one of his broad shoulders. As they reached the edge of the forest, a small town came into view. He placed her on the ground and patted her head. "Perhaps I'll see you again, Meika."

Meika pouted. "Can't you help me find GoGo and the others?"

"I'm afraid not." Doku smiled apologetically. "I don't think the villagers would like for a demon to be wandering in their streets."

"Oh." Meika hadn't thought of that. She bowed deeply to Doku, her wet hat flopping onto the ground. "Thank you for helping me!" She spun on her heels and ran into the village.

"Hey! You forgot your hat!" Doku called as he lifted the hat from the ground. He looked up and saw Meika was too far away to hear him. He sighed, about to drop the hat back on the ground but decided against it at the last minute. He placed the hat on his head and whistled as he made his way back to Kougaiji's current base camp. Who knew. Maybe he'd see the little girl again and be able to give her the hat back.

Meika hesitated at the edge of the town. She glanced back to the line of trees but Dokugakuji was nowhere in sight. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the village. It was a rather small village, much smaller than the one outside of the temple. She saw and old woman walking down the street and cautiously approached her. "Excuse me, ma'am," Meika said softly, pulling on the woman's dress. "have you seen four guys? One's got blonde hair and droopy purple eyes and one looks like me only he's a guy and then there's another that's got brown hair and green eyes but you can't see one 'cause he's got a glasses thing over it and then there's another guy with brown hair and gold eyes."

The old woman blinked, attempting to absorb all the information the small girl had loaded onto her. "I'm afraid not, dear." She adjusted a large pot in her hand. She thought for a moment. "I'm about to go see Shunrei. She has four guests staying at her house. Maybe they are the ones you are looking for. Why don't you come with me."

"Thank you, baa-san." Meika walked a few feet behind the old woman. She was still hesitant around women. They were unfamiliar creatures to her despite the fact that she was one. The two finally came to a small house.

The old woman smiled down at her. "Be a dear and knock on the door for me."

Meika did as she was told. She took a few hesitant steps back as a woman answered the door. She was pretty. Much prettier than the girls Gojyo always wandered off with. She kicked the ground nervously as the woman turned surprised, but kind, eyes onto her.

"Who is this, Auntie Pan?" The woman asked kindly.

Pan chuckled as she looked at the nervous girl. "You know, I didn't get her name, Shunrei. She's looking for four gentlemen. Perhaps your four guest are who she is looking for." She walked into the house with Meika shuffling in after her.

"Meika-chaaan!" Goku ran forward and picked Meika up under her arms. He lifted her into the air before bringing her into a hug and nuzzling his cheek with hers. "We were so worried about you! Where were you?"

Meika hugged Goku back tightly. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the looks of relief on Hakkai, Gojyo, and, much to her surprise, Sanzo's faces. She began to cry. "I was really scared!"

"Aw, don't cry, Meika." Gojyo came over and took her from Goku. He kissed her forehead and wiped her tears away. "You know it makes me sad to see you cry."

"Thank goodness you're okay." Hakkai smiled as he took the sniffling child from Gojyo. "Are you hurt?"

"No." Meika sniffled. She wriggled out of Hakkai's grasp and walked over to Sanzo. It was strange for her to see him in normal clothes. She pulled on the tail of his shirt. "I'm sorry, ZoZo."

Sanzo didn't look at her but he patted her on the head. "If you ever do that again, I swear I'll ground you." He muttered.

Shunrei giggled. She found it rather cute how the four men doted on the young girl in their own way. She frowned when she noticed the small shiver run through Meika. "Your clothes are soaking wet. Come with me and I'll find something dry for you to change into."

Meika hesitated even as Sanzo nudged her away from him. She turned round eyes up to him, looking for some reassurance. All she found was irritation. Deciding it would be wise to put some space in between her and the cranky priest, she followed Shunrei into another room. She shuffled her feet nervously as Shunrei began digging through drawers. "Why do you have boy clothes?" Meika blurted out.

Shunrei paused in digging through the clothes. She looked at Meika and smiled sadly. "They're my lovers clothes." She went back to rummaging through the drawers. She pulled one of her shirts out and frowned thoughtfully. "I suppose you can wear this for now. Your clothes should dry soon."

"What's a lover?" Meika asked as she allowed Shunrei to strip her of her wet clothes. She shivered and hopped from one foot to the next.

"Well," Shunrei bit her lip thoughtfully as she pulled the long sleeve shirt over the small child's head. She smiled at the fact that the shirt went to Meika's ankles and the sleeves went well past her arms. "A lover is a person that you want to spend the rest of your life with." She yanked the sleeves off, smiling in satisfaction. "That should do for now."

Meika tilted her head to the side. "So, GoGo, HaHa, JoJo, and ZoZo are my lovers? I want to spend the rest of my life with them."

Shunrei giggled. "It's not just that…it's hard to explain. You'll understand when you're older."

"JoJo says that all the time." Meika pouted. She looked around curiously. "Where is he?"

"I believe Gojyo-san is in the other room." Shunrei answered, leaving the room and taking her laundry outside.

Meika followed her, ignoring Goku trying to grab her attention. She stood beside the basket impatiently. "Not JoJo; your lover. Where is he?"

Shunrei bit her lip as she strung up the first shirt on the line. She reached down to pull another shirt out of the basket and blinked when Meika was already holding it up to her. She smiled gratefully to the small girl. "Thank you…"

"Where is he?" Meika repeated, her red eyes staring intently up at Shunrei.

"He…left…for a little while." Shunrei finished lamely.

Meika continued to help Shunrei put all the clothes up. "Is he a demon?"

Shunrei was taken aback for a moment. "How'd you—?"

"ZoZo and us, we're going to India to make all the demons better. So, if you can be patient a little longer, we'll bring your lover back to you." Meika blinked as Shunrei knelt down to her level and hugged her tightly. "What's wrong, Shunrei-san?" She asked nervously. She really didn't know what to think of this woman hugging her.

"You're such a good girl, Meika." Shunrei said quietly.

* * *

"Ow!!" Meika screeched. "That hurts, HaHa!"

Hakkai sighed as he held Meika more firmly in his lap. He resumed brushing her tangled hair. "If you'd sit still, it wouldn't hurt as much."

She pouted as she went limp, opting for the path of least resistance. She hugged her arms around herself, taking a deep breath of the smell of fresh laundry still lingering. She smiled happily.

Goku grinned as he sat in front of her and tickled her feet. He glanced at Hakkai. "So, who's this Jien guy that Gojyo seemed to know?"

Meika blinked as Hakkai paused in brushing her hair. She tilted her head up. "Who's Jien?"

"It's Shunrei's lover." Goku answered. He turned his attention back to Hakkai. "So, who is he?"

Hakkai hesitated for a moment. "Well, he didn't tell me not to tell you. Jien is Gojyo's brother."

* * *

**And…we're gonna stop it here. I'm so evil. Review and let me know your thoughts. Thank you all for being so patient!**


	13. Mother Figure Part 2

**I'm so sorry this is a few days late guys!!! Better late then never though, ne?**

**cheeky half-demon:….now I'm going to have to do a chapter with that!**

**Sakura02: Lol, if you tried to steal Meika, Sanzo would have to kill you and that wouldn't be very fun.**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: aw, thank you for being so patient and understanding!**

**Thank you to: nsomniacartist, nine lifes, SugarLandBabyGirl, Sakural7865, XxBloodyRiverxX, krystal, i love athrun, and Cutie Goku for reviewing! You guys are awesome!**

* * *

Meika lay awake in on her small pallet squished between Gojyo and Goku. She mulled over the words Hakkai had said about Gojyo being the love child of a human and a demon, therefore making him a child of sin. She was a half-youkai like Gojyo, so, she was a child of sin too. The thought bothered her deeply. Always in the temple, the monks had decried sin. Was she really a horrible abomination?

She couldn't sleep. As quietly as she could, Meika slipped from her futon and out of the room. Her feet made a soft pitter pattering noise as she cautiously crossed the floor. Meika hesitated outside Shunrei's bedroom door for a moment before gently tapping on the wood.

Shunrei blinked the sleep from her eyes and smiled softly. "What's wrong, Meika?"

"I can't sleep." Meika murmured. "Can I stay with you Shunrei-san?"

"Of course." Shunrei gently took Meika's hand and led her into the room. She picked Meika up and tucked the small girl into the bed. Shunrei laid beside her and smoothed her fiery red hair down.

"Am I an a...ab...abom…that big word JoJo called himself." Meika whispered.

Shunrei blinked, thinking for a moment before her eyes widened. "An abomination?" At Meika's affirmative nod, Shunrei hugged her tightly. "No! Why would you think that!?"

"'Cause I'm the same as JoJo." Meika answered.

Shunrei tilted Meika's face up. "Now, listen to me, Meika-chan. You are a beautiful, smart, sweet girl. If Jien and I ever have children, I hope their exactly like you."

Meika's eyes watered and her lower lip quivered. She began crying and hugged Shunrei. "You'll make a good mommy, Shunrei-san. I wish my mommy was like you!"

Shunrei held the little half-youkai until they both fell asleep.

* * *

Shunrei attempted to leave the bed the next morning without waking up Meika. She failed horribly. She smiled apologetically at the bleary red eyes that stared at her. "I'm sorry, Meika-chan."

"S'okay." Meika yawned. She noticed the basket of laundry at Shunrei's feet. "Are you gonna do more laundry?"

"Yes." Shunrei smiled brightly. "Would you like to come with me?"

"Yes'm!" Meika climbed out the bed and followed Shunrei out of the house after changing into her now dry clothes. She frowned when she noticed for the first time that she was missing her hat.

Shunrei held Meika's hand as they made their way through the village and towards the river. She paused when she heard women gossiping about a youkai attacking and killing someone. The women were speculating whether it was Jien or not.

"Shunrei-san, are you okay?" Meika asked worriedly. She could feel Shunrei's grip on her hand tightening.

"Meika-chan, maybe you should go back to the house." Shunrei whispered.

"No way!" Meika protested. "What if something bad happens? I'll go with you! You want to go see if it's Jien, right?"

"No. You need to stay." Shunrei said firmly. She disentangled her hand from Meika's and ran off towards the forest.

"Shunrei-san!" Meika ran after Shunrei as fast as she possibly could. Her legs ached as she tried to keep up with Shunrei's long strides. "Shunrei-san, please wait!" She finally managed to catch up with Shunrei when the young woman rested against a tree.

The two girls looked up when they heard a twig snap. Three youkai stepped out and leered at the them. "Well, what do we have here?"

"Meika-chan, run!" Shunrei grabbed Meika's hand and took off running, tugging the small girl along behind her.

Meika panted as she tried to keep up and not trip over twigs and roots. She gasped as something clipped her and sent her flying into a tree. She heard Shunrei scream and felt herself being lifted up by her hair. She let an ear-piercing scream.

"Quite the lungs on this brat." One of the youkai sneered. He lifted Meika up closer to his face. "Pretty little brat though…"

"This one is really pretty too." The ringleader leered as he lifted Shunrei up.

"Oi!" Both Goku and Gojyo leapt out of nowhere and kicked the ringleader in each side of his face.

Sanzo went over to inspect Shunrei and make sure she was all right but glaring over at the youkai that still had Meika in his grasp. "Drop the chibi." He growled.

The youkai yelped and quickly dropped the small girl.

"ZoZo!!" Meika squealed and quickly ran over to Sanzo. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to run off! I was following Shunrei-san to make sure she was okay!"

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "We're going to have a long talk when this is over." He quickly caught Shunrei as she fainted.

"It must be from all this shock." Hakkai muttered. "I think it would be best for us to go now."

"Hey, you can't just take her! She's our prey!" Hissed the ringleader.

"You wanna start something?" Goku snarled.

"Now, now, Goku." Gojyo smiled lazily as he scooped Meika up and nuzzled her cheek affectionately. "I'm in a pretty good mood right now. We got our little flower back and Shunrei is fine. I really don't feel like murdering anyone."

Goku sighed. "Fine."

As the group turned around to leave, they heard one of the youkai muttering about people with crimson hair and eyes being the children of a human and youkai. The ringleader cackled. "So, that guy and that little brat are worthless products? Is the hair red everywhere?"

Meika blinked as Hakkai, Sanzo, and Goku all stood very threateningly in front of the three youkai. She looked up at Gojyo. "What's that mean?"

"Ask Hakkai later." Gojyo laughed as the three youkai cowered before them.

Hakkai and the others walked over and Hakkai took Meika from Gojyo. "That's not something you need to know about right now."

The group began to walk off again when the three youkai attempted to kill them. Hakkai sighed and covered Meika's eyes and Gojyo dealt with the three. Meika blinked as Sanzo hoisted Shunrei onto his back. "Is Shunrei-san gonna be okay?"

Hakkai smiled and smoothed her hair down. "Of course. We'll take her home and then we'll have to leave."

Meika frowned. "Oh…" She was silent the rest of the way back to Shunrei's house. Meika watched as Sanzo put her in her bed and then went to find Auntie Pan to inform her of what happened. Meika stayed beside Shunrei's bedside until Sanzo came back and waited impatiently for the group to prepare to leave. "Bye, Shunrei-san. I'll miss you. I hope you and Jien get to be together soon and have lots of babies." She kissed Shunrei's cheek before taking Gojyo's hand and letting him lead her out of the house.

Meika curled up beside Sanzo in the front seat and was silent for a while. Finally she looked up at Hakkai. HaHa, what's a lover?"

* * *

**Andddd…we're done for now. Review and let me know your thoughts!**


	14. The Return of Kousan

**XxBloodyRiverxX: Haha, well of course Hakkai is perfect for that job. I don't think Goku knows about anything but food, Sanzo would be grouchy, and Gojyo…he knows a little too much.**

**Sakura02:….and now I'm picturing Meika running around screaming that.**

**Thank you: i love athrun, krystal, cheeky half-demon, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, FMASaiyukiFanatic, Princess de la Luna, nsomniacartist, and Treia for reviewing.**

**I really don't want to seem rude guys but I just want to get this out: please do NOT advertise other stories when you review one of mine. If there is a story you want me to read, then please pm it to me. Otherwise, it just seems like you're using a review for my story to advertise and that bothers me. Again, please don't think I'm being rude and thank you!**

* * *

"Meika, you have to order something besides cake. You need to get something with vegetables." Hakkai said firmly.

"But, I don't wanna." Meika pouted. She looked pleadingly at Gojyo. "JoJo, do I have to?"

Gojyo looked away. "Don't make those eyes at me. You know how guilty they make me feel."

"You will eat something healthy, damnit." Sanzo hissed.

"Only if GoGo does too!" Meika pointed her fork accusingly at where Goku was eyeing the full list of various meat buns.

"You too, damn monkey." Sanzo glared at Goku.

Meika frowned as she watched a man groping a purple haired woman. "JoJo, that man's touching that lady inappropriately."

Gojyo looked over his shoulder and frowned. He picked the ashtray off their table and threw it at the back of his head. He quickly turned back around. "That better, Meika?"

Meika beamed. "Thank you, JoJo. I'll eat my vegetables since you helped that lady." She jumped up and down in her seat. "Hey, miss, we're really hungry! Can you come take our order?"

Hakkai gently whapped Meika on the back of her head. "Say please, Meika." He smiled warmly at the woman. "I'm terribly sorry. She has better manners than that, I promise. Now for our order…"

The woman stood there in awed silence as Hakkai listed off everything the group. She smiled nervously. "Will that be all?"

"Ah, we'll need an ashtray." Gojyo grinned.

"I don't like it when you guys smoke." Meika crinkled her nose in distaste. "It smells gross." She smiled brightly at their waitress. "Can I have some chocolate milk, please?"

A few minutes later, the woman returned with the order. Meika squealed happily as the cup of chocolate milk was placed in front of her. "Thank you!" She gulped the milk and only paused when she heard the woman scream again. She frowned when she heard the waitress scream again. "JoJo, those men are picking on the nice lady again."

Gojyo sighed. "Hey, dude, do you need another ashtray to the head?"

"That was you!?" The man snarled and kicked their table over.

Meika sat in her seat in utter shock. Her chocolate milk was spilled all over her dress. "M-My…chocolate…milk." Meika scrunched her face up and began to sniffle before bawling.

"You made my MeiMei cry and ruined our food!" Goku shouted. "That's unforgivable!"

Hakkai sat beside Meika and attempted to calm the wailing child down. "There, there. Will get you some more milk."

"B-But it messed up the dress Shunrei-san gave me." Meika rubbed at her eyes furiously. She noticed that the purple haired woman was sitting on the floor looking completely lost. She hopped off her chair and went over to the woman, her tears still falling. "What's wrong, Miss?"

The woman looked at her for a moment. "Your group is very…different."

Meika smiled through her tears. "Yeah. ZoZo and the others are pretty amazing. What's your name, Miss?"

"Oh…I'm Yaone." Yaone looked thoughtfully at Meika. "Why are you crying...um…?"

"I'm Meika. The guy ruined the pretty dress Shunrei-san gave me." Meika looked sadly down at the chocolate milk dripping from her pretty dress.

"I'm sorry." Yaone pulled a small handkerchief out of her apron pocket and gently dabbed at the stain. She paused for a moment before slowly retracting her hand.

"You guys are going to ruin my restaurant!" The owner wailed. "If you're going to fight, please do it the proper way."

Meika blinked as a table was brought out and bottles of alcohol and glasses were placed in front of each man. "What're they going to do? Can I play?"

Yaone quickly picked the small girl up before she could try and join in the game. "They're doing a drinking game and you may not join. You are much too young."

Meika pouted before noticing the golden bracelets on Yaone's wrist. "Those are really pretty..." She smiled and patted Yaone's cheek when she noticed the worried look on the woman's face. "Don't worry, Yaone-san. Even if GoGo, ZoZo, and JoJo get knocked out, HaHa will win no matter what. He's the best drinker in the world."

Yaone smiled sadly. "You seem very fond of all of them."

Meika grinned. "Of course! They're my family and they saved me! If it weren't for them, I'd be dead! I love all them so much! They're my most precious people!" She looked inquisitively at Yaone. "Do you have someone like that, Yaone-san?"

"Yes…" Yaone answered. "I must ask you to forgive me, Meika-chan. I think if we had met under different circumstances, we could have been good friends." Yaone placed the small girl on the ground.

Before Meika could ask her what she was talking about, a strange mist filled the air. On instinct more than anything, she held her breath and covered her nose. She quickly ran over to Hakkai and hid behind him.

"It's only a sleeping medicine." Yaone said as she approached Hakkai and Meika, the two only conscious people besides herself.

Hakkai placed a comforting hand on Meika's trembling shoulder. "You did this?"

"Yaone-san, why are you doing something so mean?" Meika sniffled out.

Yaone remained silent as she removed the golden bracelets from her wrist. Her ears became pointed and her nails grew longer. She removed her waitress outfit to reveal a much more…revealing and battle oriented one. "I am Yaone, one of Lord Kougaiji's assassins. I'm afraid all of your group must die here, Hakkai-san."

Hakkai smiled. "Now, surely you wouldn't hurt little Meika. She's a good girl and has done nothing to deserve such a harsh punishment." He quickly pushed Meika out of the way as Yaone attacked him.

Meika followed the two outside as they continued to fight. She stood nervously behind Yaone. She screamed as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She whipped around and sighed in relief when she saw it was only Sanzo. "ZoZo, Yaone-san is working for that Kougaiji guy and she's trying to kill HaHa!"

She looked up when she heard Yaone screaming at Hakkai and saw the knife Yaone was holding to her own throat. Meika ran over to stand beside Hakkai. "Please, Yaone-san, don't hurt yourself! What about your precious person? Won't they be sad if you hurt yourself?"

"I've failed him!" Yaone cried. "My life is useless now!"

Meika screamed as a wind suddenly whipped up. She looked up in time to see A very beautiful male youkai leap onto the roof with Yaone in his arms. She scrutinized him carefully as Yaone identified the man as Kougaiji. She took in his long red hair and his piercing violet eyes. Her eyes widened in realization. "Kou-san!"

Kougaiji looked at the young girl for a moment before he inclined his head. "You've grown since I last saw you. Have you gotten lost anymore?"

Meika blushed. He was much prettier than she remembered him being. "N-No."

Kougaiji appraised the group carefully. "I didn't realize you were traveling with the Sanzo group as well. I've merely come to retrieve my subordinate for now." He turned his back to leave.

"Hey, why don't you stick around and play for a while?" Goku grinned as he attempted to attack Kougaiji.

Meika watched in awe as Kougaiji easily deflected every attack the Sanzo group sent his way. She noticed Sanzo climbing up the building Kougaiji was on and decided to follow him. She grinned at the annoyed look he gave her. As soon as they reached the top, she went straight to Yaone and pulled on her skirt.

Yaone blinked in surprise and looked down at the small girl. "What are you doing up here, Meika-chan?"

Meika beckoned Yaone down to her level. When said youkai was close enough, Meika lightly slapped her cheek. "Don't do that again. You can't try and hurt yourself like that. It'll upset your precious people like Kou-san."

Kougaiji glanced at Sanzo. "You've got a smart little girl there."

Sanzo raised an eyebrow. "You want her?"

Kougaiji chuckled. "No. She seems rather attached to all of you. Until next time." Before he disappeared, he reached out and ruffled Meika's hair.

Sanzo had to physically carry Meika down from the roof as she seemed in a slight daze. "Oi, Hakkai, what's wrong with it?"

Hakkai chuckled as he noticed Meika's reddened cheeks and dreamy eyes. "I believe our little Meika is in love with Kougaiji."

"What!?" Gojyo yanked Meika away from Sanzo and held her close to him. "No! My beautiful baby can't be in love with him! Snap out of it right now, young lady!"

* * *

**Heh…I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Review and let me know your thoughts please!**


	15. The Rain and the Demon

**I can't wait for Halloween this Saturday! I get to dress up and hang out with all my buddies and watch horror movies! **

**XxBloodyRiverxX: Mwahaha…even I'm not sure what I'll think of next :). Most of the time Sakura02 and I just randomly think stuff up while we're hanging out.**

**FMASaiyukiFanatic: Aw, Meika loves getting hugs! And I do love writing Gojyo being all over-protective. **

**SaiyukiSucker: Oh, I assure you, Sanzo will make sure Meika never gets a boyfriend. **

**Thank you to: cheeky half-demon, Cutie-Goku, i love athrun, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, nine lifes, Sakura02, Princesa de la Luna, CrippledSoul, and krystal for your reviews. You guys make me super happy!**

* * *

Meika shifted nervously as she noticed the dark clouds looming closer. She hated the rain. Sanzo always seemed grumpier when it rained and he would lock himself in his study when they were back in the temple. She shifted closer to Hakkai. "HaHa, how much longer before we get to the next town?"

Hakkai smiled at her and smoothed her hair down. "We'll be there soon. Are you hungry?"

"No…" She looked up at Sanzo for a moment before turning her attention back to the road ahead. She squinted her eyes. "Hey, HaHa, what's that?"

Goku sniffed the air. "Something smells weird."

Sanzo slapped his hands over Meika's eyes. "Don't you dare look."

Meika nodded absentmindedly. She had already seen the bodies. She had seen the pained looks on their faces. The sight had chilled her to the bone and she felt sick to her stomach. She whimpered as she heard thunder booming in the distance.

The group had just pulled up to the town's inn when the rain began to pour. They were quickly ushered into a free room. Meika grinned excitedly as she threw her wet clothes off and ran around the room naked.

"Meika, get back here!" Gojyo chased the small girl around the room with a towel in his hand. He finally caught her and wrapped her in the fluffy towel. "Got you!"

Meika squealed with laughter as Gojyo sat on the bed and began tickling her. "No! JoJo, stop!" She managed to poke her head out of the towel as Gojyo began drying her off.

The innkeeper came in with a tray of tea. She smiled warmly at the group. "It seems like it's going to be raining for a while."

Sanzo glanced at the woman. "On our way here, there were a lot of youkai bodies strewn on the road."

The woman's eyes lit up. "Ah, that must have been Rikudo-sama."

While Gojyo was distracted by the woman speaking, Meika slipped out of the towel and made a run for the door. She yelped when a hand grabbed her. She pouted. "I wasn't gonna go outside, HaHa."

Hakkai chuckled. "I'm sure. Now, let's drink your tea and then we'll get you ready for bed."

As Meika sipped her tea, she looked at Sanzo closely. He was staring blankly out the window. She yawned and didn't struggle at all as Hakkai pulled one of Gojyo's old white t-shirts. "ZoZo, can I sleep with you tonight?" She asked sleepily.

"Meika," Hakkai said lovingly. "I think it would be best if you slept with Gojyo or Goku tonight."

"Stay with me, MeiMei!" Goku grinned. He scooped her up and carried her to his room. "It'll be like when we lived at the temple!" He flopped down on the bed on his back with Meika laying on top of him.

"Do you miss the temple?" Meika asked as she crawled off of Goku and laid beside him.

Goku smiled as he pulled the covers around the two and held Meika close. "Nah. You?"

Meika shook her head. "No. I've got you and ZoZo and HaHa and JoJo. I would've been sad if you guys left me." She yawned and kissed Goku's cheek. "Night-night, GoGo."

The two were awakened a few hours later by a high-pitched scream. Meika leapt over Goku and ran out into the hallway. She grabbed Gojyo's hand and peeked around him at the distraught worker. "What's wrong with her?"

"There's a youkai in the kitchen!" The woman cried.

"Meika, you stay here." Gojyo said firmly.

"No way!" Meika stuck her tongue out defiantly. "I wanna help!"

Despite Gojyo's protest, Meika followed them into the kitchen. She regretted her decision when she saw the youkai munching on someone's intestines. She felt sick to her stomach and decided to stay beside the door while Gojyo and the others dealt with the youkai. She blinked when fuda suddenly appeared all over the youkai. She winced as screams of pain filled the room. She covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

"Come on, Meika." Gojyo picked her up and yawned. "Everything's under control now so let's go back to bed."

"Okay." Meika buried her face into Gojyo's neck and sighed happily. She winced when she felt something cold pressed firmly against her cheek. Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw that it was a priest's staff touching her.

"Are you human?" The priest hissed.

Gojyo frowned at the man and carefully readjusted Meika so she was on his other side. "Hey, man, no need to pick on the kid."

"That's a very disrespectful question." Hakkai added. Meika shuddered at the underlying tone in Hakkai's voice. She knew that meant he was angry.

Goku growled. "So what if we are youkai?"

Meika flinched and squeaked as the man pulled out more fuda. "JoJo!"

"Just keep your head down." Gojyo dodged the fuda that were thrown in there direction. He held Meika protectively to him, making sure to shield her with himself. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah…GoGo look out!" Meika screamed. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see Goku get killed. She opened her eyes when she didn't hear anything.

Sanzo was gripping the man's staff tightly in his hand and glaring fiercely at him. "What are you doing, Shuei?"

Meika wriggled out of Gojyo's grip and went over to Sanzo. She clutched his robe sleeve tightly and peered at the man with curious eyes. "You know him, ZoZo?"

The man suddenly began cackling. "I had heard rumors that this generation's Genjo Sanzo was traveling with filthy commoners."

"That's rude!" Meika puffed her cheeks out and looked back at Hakkai. "HaHa, he's rude!"

"Hush." Sanzo said firmly, resting a hand on her head and gently patting her hair down. "Children should be seen and not heard."

"What are you doing traveling with these filthy youkai!?" the man howled. "You know these are youkai just like the ones that killed your master!"

Sanzo frowned. "I never thought I would hear such words from your mouth, Shuei. You've changed."

The man continued cackling. "I haven't changed at all. Shuei died ten years ago when you left."

Meika blinked and tugged on Sanzo's sleeve. "So he's a zombie? Don't zombies eat people?"

"What did I tell you about talking?" Sanzo growled.

"After you left, the youkai that killed your master came back to retrieve the Maten scroll, not realizing you had taken it. I cursed myself using the forbidden charm and destroyed all the youkai there. I've been killing innocent youkai ever since. Now that they've all gone crazy, I've become a savior! I am no longer Shuei but Rikudo!" Rikudo laughed.

Meika shuddered. "He's crazy. ZoZo, he's crazier than the crazy youkai!"

"Don't make me spank you." Sanzo hissed. "Just be quiet, Meika."

Rikudo cackled. "Let's see which one of us is really the youkai." Rikudo pulled out more fuda.

Sanzo kept Meika close to him as the other three ran out with Rikudo close behind them. "I don't want you getting wet again." Sanzo explained when he saw Meika's inquisitive look. "It'll be a pain in the ass if you get sick."

"What about GoGo and the others?" Meika asked, tugging on his sleeve. She wanted to go help them but Sanzo had a firm grip on her.

"Yes, what about your friends, Sanzo?" Rikudo cackled.

Sanzo rolled his eyes and ignored Rikudo. He gently whapped Meika on the head. "You should know better by now, Meika. Whether I help them or not, they won't die."

"Yeah!" Goku agreed enthusiastically. "Don't worry about us, MeiMei! You just stay over there and use Sanzo as a shield!"

Meika giggled as Sanzo grumbled under his breath. She blinked as Sanzo suddenly stepped forward. "What's wrong, ZoZo?"

He looked back at her for a moment as he pulled the gun out of his sleeve. "I never wanted something that couldn't protect itself to be in my life. And yet here you are." He sighed at the confused and hurt look on Meika's face. "Just…stay there. It'll be all right. There's only one way to free him from this curse."

"Don't!" Goku pushed Sanzo's gun down. "He used to be your friend, right?"

Everything that happened next happened so quickly. To Meika, it all seemed to happen in slow motion. Rikudo appeared behind Goku, his staff raised above his head. He was going to stab Goku. All of a sudden, Sanzo pushed Goku out of the way and the staff pierced his stomach. Meika remained motionless as she watched Sanzo collapse to the ground. She wasn't sure who it was that screamed. Was it her? All she knew was that by the time she ran out into the rain to be beside Sanzo, he had pulled the staff out of his stomach and collapsed to the ground again.

"ZoZo?" Meika knelt beside him and shook his shoulders. "ZoZo…wake up." She shook his shoulders more violently. Her lower lip trembled and her tears mixed with the rain pouring down her cheeks. "ZoZo!"

"Meika, Goku, don't move him." Hakkai said firmly.

Meika looked up, realizing for the first time that Goku was beside her. She gently placed her tiny hand over his when she saw how still he was. "GoGo?" She flinched away when he began to scream and his forehead limiter broke.

"Meika, get away from him!" Hakkai shouted as he yanked Gojyo back.

But Meika didn't listen. She sat on the ground beside Sanzo's body, staring in awe at Goku's true form. She had never seen it before. He didn't look much different from her Goku. His hair was longer and his nails had become claws. What sent a shudder down her spine was the wild look in his gold eyes. She watched in horror as Goku mercilessly beat Rikudo, punching him over and over.

"We need to get him out of here." Hakkai said, gently lifting Sanzo's head. "He's still alive but the rain is making it worse. Meika, get back here!"

Meika hadn't realized she was slowly walking towards Goku. She held her hands in front of her chest and approached the mad youkai. "GoGo, stop." She said softly. She reached out with her small hand and placed it on Goku's sleeve.

Goku whipped around, a clawed hand extended and held to Meika's throat. He seemed ready to kill her until he saw who it was. He lowered his hand and stared at the small girl trembling before him. He brought his hand up again only this time, it wasn't to hurt her. He ran his hand through her hair and over her face. "_MeiMei…"_

Rikudo used this moment to escape. Goku howled with fury when he realized his prey had escaped.

"GoGo, don't…" Meika pleaded.

Goku once again returned his attention to her. He placed his hand over her heart, frowning at how rapidly it was beating. "_MeiMei…"_

"Oi, leave her alone!"

Goku snarled and punched Gojyo in the face. He growled as Gojyo grabbed his arm. Gojyo brought his arm forward and let Goku bite down on it.

"Meika, get over here now!" Hakkai shouted.

Meika looked between where Hakkai was healing Sanzo and where Gojyo was attempting to dislodge his arm from Goku's mouth. She ran over to Hakkai and watched in awe as a beam of light came from the sky and a halo of light surrounded Goku's head. "GoGo!" She yelled as Goku collapsed into Gojyo's arms.

Gojyo sighed as he dragged the unconscious monkey with him. "It's all right. He's just asleep."

"Jeez, you guys are really slacking."

Meika looked up. A strange woman was standing where the light had once been with a very pathetic looking man behind her. She blinked as she took in the woman's apparel and tugged on Hakkai's pants. "I can see her boobs, HaHa."

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**And….we're going to stop there. Will Sanzo survive? Why didn't evil demon Goku attack Meika? (I know what his real name is but I'm much to lazy to type it out. Though, in retrospect this is taking longer to type than just typing his real name). Review and find out!**


	16. The Merciful Goddess

**I'm sleepy! This coming Saturday and next Saturday, I will posting to new stories so look for them if you want :)**

**Sakura02: Yeah, when I was writing Shuei's name I kept thinking of Bleach Shuuhei. Only this one isn't as pretty :(**

**XxBloodyRiverxX: Aw, thank you! I always like hearing that I'm getting better at writing :). Hm…what are you thinking of changing your penname to?**

**Thank you so much: SonYukiGoku'sSister, SaiyukiSucker, cheeky half-demon, Sakural7865, i love athrun, FMASaiyukiFanatic, nine lifes, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, krystal, and LadyElaineLovegood for reviewing.**

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"Meika, cover your eyes." Hakkai smiled nervously as the woman approached them. "May I ask who you are, Miss?"

The woman simply smiled as she took in the groups haggard appearance. She was unfazed when she felt someone tugging on her dress. She looked down at Meika. "Hello there. May I help you?"

Meika said nothing and instead looked up with woman's dress. She squeaked and quickly ran over to Hakkai and hid behind him. "She has he parts! Are girls supposed to have boy parts?"

The person chuckled as she/he observed the group. "My, if you guys are having trouble here, you're pretty pathetic."

Gojyo snarled. "Who the fu—"

"Language!" Hakkai chided.

The man standing behind the she/he snarled as well. "Show some respect! This is the great Merciful Goddess!"

Meika blinked. "The who?"

Gojyo's eyes widened as he looked down at Goku. "So, you fixed the monkey's power limiter?"

The Merciful Goddess nodded absently as she sauntered over to Sanzo's unconscious body. "So, he's the cause of all this trouble." She looked down when she felt someone once again tugging on her dress. She smiled down at Meika and knelt to her level. "What does my darling little trouble maker need?"

"Can you fix ZoZo?" She asked. "Since you're a goddess, you can make him better, right?"

"You are as cute as ever." The Merciful Goddess pinched her cheek. "Of course I can fix him. Nothing's impossible for me."

Hakkai blinked and looked at the man. "Are all gods this narcissistic?"

The man chuckled nervously. "No…not really…"

The Merciful Goddess stood up and glared at Gojyo. "You! Let me use you!" Before Gojyo could protest, the Merciful Goddess kissed him.

Meika blinked and pointed at the scene. "HaHa, the shman is kissing JoJo!" She squeaked as Gojyo suddenly collapsed on the ground. "Are you okay, JoJo?"

"He's fine." The Merciful Goddess waved her hand dismissively. "I just took a good deal of blood from him."

"Is that what you do when you kiss?" Meika asked. "Are you a vampire, JoJo? Do you take blood from all the ladies you kiss?" She blinked as the Merciful Goddess sauntered over to Sanzo and leaned towards him. "Ah! Why's she gonna kiss ZoZo??"

"Meika, just cover your eyes." Gojyo sighed as he placed his hands over her eyes. "We, as in Hakkai, are going to have a long talk about all of this later."

After Sanzo subconsciously slapped the Merciful Goddess away, she stood up triumphantly. "Well, he's fine now. You all need to hurry along now and complete your journey." She went over to Meika and patted the small girl's head. "You take good care of these boys now, Yanmei."

Meika blinked as she shook Gojyo's hand off from her eyes. "My name isn't Yanmei. It's Meika. Aren't gods supposed to know everything?"

The Merciful Goddess chuckled. "Of course. You're Meika now. Well, I've gotta go." With that, she disappeared.

The group made their way back into the inn, Hakkai carrying an unconscious Sanzo back into his room. Goku grabbed a chair and sat beside the bed while Meika curled up with her back against Sanzo's and stared at Goku. "Is ZoZo gonna wake up soon?"

"I hope so…" Goku said sadly.

Meika frowned. She hated seeing Goku so sad. He was the one out of the whole group that could always make her laugh and smile when she was sad. She sat up and gave Sanzo a kiss on top of his head before tackling Goku out of his chair.

Goku yelped in surprise. "What're you doing, MeiMei?" He blinked at the upset look on the little girl's face. "What's wrong?"

"Stop being sad." Meika ordered as she pulled on Goku's cheeks. "When you're sad, it makes me sad. I don't like it. ZoZo would be mad at you for sulking so much."

Goku sat up with Meika sitting in his lap. He smiled sadly at her. "I'm sorry…it's just…Sanzo is always having to save me…it makes me feel useless."

"How do you think I feel?" Meika pouted. "All of you have to take care of me. We just need to get stronger. So cheer up, okay?" She leaned up and pecked Goku on the lips. She frowned thoughtfully and ignored the startled look on Goku's face. "Hm…that wasn't so bad."

"W-What was that for, MeiMei?" Goku stammered.

"Well, JoJo got all sick after the shman kissed him and ZoZo slapped the Goddess lady whenever she tried to kiss him. So I thought kissing might be disgusting. But JoJo likes kissing all the ladies so maybe you have to like the person to make kissing okay?" Meika tapped her chin thoughtfully.

Goku blinked before chuckling. He held Meika tightly to him and kissed her cheeks and forehead. "Thank you, MeiMei. Does that mean you like me?"

"Of course!" Meika shouted. "You're my GoGo! I love you this much!" She held her arms out wide in emphasis. "and I love JoJo and ZoZo and HaHa!"

Hakkai poked his head into the room. "I'm going to make some dinner. Do you two want to help?"

Goku's eyes lit up and he stood up with Meika in his arms. "Yeah!"

"Wait." Meika wriggled out of Goku's grip. "I'll come help in a second." She waited until both Hakkai and Goku left before going back over to Sanzo's bed. She climbed back onto the bed. She stared at Sanzo's back for a moment. "Please get better soon, ZoZo." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek before climbing back out of the bed.

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**Time to stop! Will Sanzo get better? What about Rikudo? Tune in next time to find out! Reviews make me super happy and help me to plot so please leave one!**


	17. Short Chapter

**Argh! I hate when alerts come on the TV! It makes the TV scream at me and it makes me very sad.**

**I'm so sorry I've been lax about updating guys! It's the end of the college semester so all my papers and tests are due. Plus, I've been editing my novel and starting to work on people's Christmas presents.**

**FMASaiyukiFanatic: Indeed…someone just may steal her…**

**Sakura02: Why, she learned it from me of course!**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: Haha, nothing Meika does really surprises me anymore :)**

**nine lifes: Yanmei isn't part of the original legends. Yanmei means Swallow Plum. Oh, trust me, there will definitely be chapters about their past and they will be epic.**

**XxBloodyRiverxX: Aw, well if you ever think of the idea again, please drop me a pm!**

**Thanks to: nsominacartist, krystal, Iszel, Saiyuki Sucker, Treia, i love athrun, Naki Ayase, and Princesa de la Luna for reviewing!**

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"I wanna see ZoZo." Meika huffed, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Meika," Gojyo said soothingly, "Sanzo is resting right now. Why don't you go play with Goku."

Meika's frown remained. "I don't want to play with GoGo. I want to see ZoZo!" She stomped her foot for emphasis.

Gojyo frowned. "Don't you stomp that foot at me, young lady. You keep that attitude up and I'll ground you."

"You can't ground me. We're traveling." Meika stated plainly. She realized her straightforward approach wasn't going to work. She took a deep breath and put on her puppy eyes and sniffled. "I'm really worried about ZoZo. What if he's hurting really badly and needs me?"

Gojyo chuckled. He reached out and pulled Meika into his lap. "Trust me, Meika, if he's hurting, I don't think he wants to see you." He kissed the top of her head. "Just be a good girl, okay?"

"But something's wrong." Meika pouted. She buried her face in Gojyo's shirt. "Something bad is gonna happen. Please let me go."

"No can do, little flower." Gojyo said sternly. "This is something Sanzo has to do on his own. Have more faith in him."

"I do!" Meika protested. "I do have faith in ZoZo! I just don't wanna lose him." Her voice trailed off and real tears did begin to fall. "I don't want to lose any of you."

Gojyo's face softened. He held Meika closer and kissed the top of her head. "You're not going to lose any of us. I can promise you that."

"Ah, there you are." Hakkai smiled. "Well, I believe it would be best for us to head out."

"What about Sanzo?" Goku asked.

"We'll pick him up on the way." Gojyo grinned as he stood up with Meika in his arms. He blinked as Goku suddenly yanked Meika away. "I had her first…"

"Yeah…well…she gave me kisses so nyah!" Goku grinned triumphantly as he bolted out of the inn.

Meika simply rolled her eyes as the two began to argue. Their arguing didn't cease even as Hakkai began to drive so she climbed into the front seat. She curled up in Sanzo's spot and looked sleepily at Hakkai. "Are we gonna go get ZoZo now?"

Hakkai smiled and patted her head. "Yes. You go ahead and go to sleep. You know how cranky you get when you don't sleep."

Meika began to protest but she really was rather tired. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and fell almost instantly to sleep.

* * *

_"MeiMei, let's play a game!" A familiar voice called._

_Meika opened her eyes but couldn't see anything. The light blinded her eyes. All around her, familiar voices danced._

_"There's my little angel."_

_"Would you like to read another story, Yanmei?"_

_"Damn brats get the hell out!"_

_Familiar shapes began to take form in front of Meika's eyes. Before she could completely see who they were…_she was pulled out of her dream and into the waking world.

Meika blinked the sleep from her eyes and looked up. She smiled at the way the sun formed an almost halo like glow around the man's head. "ZoZo…"

Sanzo looked down at the girl in his lap. "Damn brat go back to sleep. Don't you dare wake me up either." With that, he situated her more securely in his arms and closed his eyes.

"Okay, ZoZo." Meika fell asleep a few moments after, the dreams of familiar voices still plaguing her.

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**I know, I know, it's ridiculously short. Next chapter will be much longer, promise! Scary fortune teller man ****shows up so look forward to it! Who could the mysterious people possibly be??? Review please!!**


	18. The Terrifying Fortune Teller

**Only one day of finals left! I can do it!!! **

**Sakura02: Is your internet still acting wonky? Mine won't let me read -Man and it saddens my soul :(**

**nsomniacartist: I completely agree! Papers are evil!**

**Haruna Uchiha: You'll just have to keep reading to find out who they are :P**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: I had thought about her going with him but I figured Sanzo wouldn't let her. **

**FMASaiyukiFanatic: Aw, you can't steal her! Who would help Goku torture Sanzo if she was gone :)**

**Thank you: krystal, xenocanaan, SaiyukiSucker, CBarbie92, i love athrun, nine lifes, Rakuen91, and Princesa de la Luna for reviewing!**

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"ZoZo, I want some candy. Can I have some dumplings? Wow, that dress is pretty! Look at…"

"Hakkai, if you don't shut her up, I will." Sanzo snarled out.

"Calm down now, Meika." Hakkai chuckled good naturedly. He plucked Meika from the ground and allowed her to sit on his shoulders. "We'll go shopping later when Sanzo can relax and not worry about you running off, okay?"

Meika pouted. "Okay…."

"You there, with the small child. I presume all of you are travelers." A strange man smiled eerily at them from behind a table. "I'm Chin Yi-So. Allow me to tell you your fortunes for your future traveling."

Meika shuddered and slid down Hakkai's back so her arms were wrapped around his neck and the rest of her was invisible to Chin Yi-So. "I don't like him, HaHa. Make him go away."

Gojyo chuckled and ruffled Meika's hair and smiled reassuringly at her. "Sorry, dude, but we aren't interested in that kind of stuff."

Chin Yi-So grinned as Meika stuck her tongue out at him. "Well, I think you should be aware that death is coming your way." He chuckled. "You are all living right beside death. Especially…you, sir." He grinned as he pointed at Hakkai.

Meika snarled as the man continued to talk to Hakkai. She wanted to chomp his finger off that he kept using to point at Hakkai.

"You have a scar on your stomach for your sin, right?" Chin Yi-So leered. "A sin that is much too high for you to atone for."

Meika flipped over Hakkai and planted her foot directly in Chin Yi-So's face. "Leave my HaHa alone!"

Sanzo rolled his eyes and picked Meika up off the table. "Young lady, if you don't behave I'm going to spank you."

Chin Yi-So waved his hand dismissively. "The cards speak of your destiny…you all will bring calamity…"

Before the group could say anything, a loud explosion resounded through the village. Meika squeaked and buried her face in Sanzo's shoulder. She dared to peek up and immediately regretted it. "The giant crab is gonna eat us! It wants revenge for all it's siblings that GoGo ate!"

"Hey, you ate some too!" Goku shouted back.

Sanzo could feel another migraine coming on. "Meika, you and the monkey distract that thing."

Meika beamed. "You're gonna let me fight!?" At Sanzo's affirmative nod, Meika squealed and summoned her water element. "Let's go, GoGo!" As she ran towards the monster to fight, something flew at the monster and punched it. She blinked as a girl landed in front of them. She pulled on Goku's hand. "GoGo, who's that?"

"How should I know?" Goku eyed the girl warily. She seemed familiar somehow though he knew he had never met her before.

The girl turned her attention to the group. "I finally found you, Sanzo Group!" She grinned triumphantly. "I'm Lirin and I'm going to defeat you instead of Kougaiji-onichan!"

Meika tilted her head to the side. "So, she's Kou-san's little sister?"

Lirin grinned at the group. "That's right. Now, I'm going to have to ask you all to die."

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**Still kind of short but I must study for my last two finals. Please review and let me know your thoughts!**


	19. Running Off

**Merry late Christmas, everyone! **

**Over 200 reviews, guys! You are all so awesome! Thank you for your continued support.**

**nsomniacartist: Yes, now that school is finally over, the chapters will be longer now.**

**Thanks: nine lifes, i love athrun, xenocanaan, FMASayukiFanatic, Sakura02, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, SaiyukiSucker, and CBarbie92 for reviewing!**

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Sanzo felt a migraine coming on as he held Meika back. "I swear if you don't hold still, I'm going to throw you at her."

Meika pouted but stilled her legs. "But…but…but…she told us to fight her! Why can't I fight her?"

Lirin nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! I wanna fight you guys! If you won't attack me, then I'll attack you!" She cackled as she punched the ground barely missing Gojyo.

Meika remained held in place by Sanzo while Gojyo and the others fought over who would have to fight Lirin. Realizing her pouting wasn't working, Meika turned on her best 'I'm-angry-fear-me' glare. "I wanna fight, ZoZo! Let me go right now or I'll run away!"

If only getting rid of her would be that simple. Sanzo growled as he saw Lirin running towards Goku. Hoisting Meika up under his arm, he reached out and yanked Lirin off the ground by her collar. "That's enough of that bullshit."

Lirin snarled and struggled against Sanzo's grip on her. "Let me go you droopy eyed baldy!"

"Put me down, ZoZo!" Meika managed to snarl around Sanzo's arm as she attempted to gnaw it off.

"I'm seriously going to kill the two of you." Sanzo hissed.

"That's it! Now I'm really—"

"Want this?" Sanzo held a meat bun up to Lirin. He rolled his eyes as Lirin squealed excitedly. He promptly shoved the meat bun in her mouth to shut her up.

"No fair!" Meika whimpered out as tears stood at the corners of her eyes. "Why'd you give her one? You never give me any. That's not—" Meika would've continued her rant but for the meat bun Sanzo had shoved in her mouth.

Hakkai laughed. "My goodness, you're amazing with small children, Sanzo."

"Hey, Sanzo-group, give me back my little sister." Kougaiji stood on a roof above the group, staring down at them with Yaone and Dokugakuji on either side of him.

Meika's eyes lit up as she saw Yaone and Dokugakuji. "Hi, Yaone-san! Doku-san!"

Dokugakuji grinned when he noticed Meika. "Well, it's been a while little girl. Look what I've got." He almost laughed at the excited squeal Meika emitted.

"My hat!" Meika held her arms out as Dokugakuji threw her hat to her. She rubbed her cheek lovingly against the brown fabric. "Thank you, Doku-san!"

Yaone chuckled. "My, you're as excitable as ever, Meika-chan."

"Yup! You haven't tried to hurt yourself anymore, have you, Yaone-san?" Meika asked with a serious look on her face.

"No. I promised Kougaiji-sama I wouldn't." Yaone smiled as she watched how red Meika's face went when she noticed the youkai prince.

"Hi, Kou-san." Meika whispered softly.

"Oi, stop making her do that!" Gojyo freaked.

Kougaiji smiled briefly at Meika before turning his attention back to Sanzo. "Give me back my sister."

"Hey, it's not like we kidnapped her!" Goku snapped.

Hakkai laughed. "She's like the female version of Goku, you know."

"You can have her." Sanzo promptly dropped Lirin to the ground. He glared down at where Meika had gone silent before holding the red-faced child up to Kougaiji. "You broke it again! If you keep breaking it, you're going to have to buy it."

"Hey!" This statement seemed to snap Meika out of her stupor. "I'm not an 'it'! I'm a girl and I'm not broken!"

Goku grinned up at Kougaiji. "You're not gonna just run away now that you've got your sister back, are you? Let's finish what we started last time."

Kougaiji nodded. "Very well then."

"Yay! I get to fight!" Meika crowed excitedly. She blinked as Sanzo walked over to a giant piece of rubble a ways away and sat her down on it. She pouted. "ZoZo…"

"Not now." Sanzo snapped. He sighed at the hurt look on Meika's face. "Look, I'll let you fight another time…just…not now…" He placed a hand on her head and forced her to look at him. "Be good and listen."

Meika sighed and pulled her knees to her chest as she watched Sanzo walk off to go fight. She shuddered as she felt a strange energy behind her. Turning around, she saw Chin Yi-So staring down at her from a roof. He smiled at her before disappearing. She glanced over at the group before quickly running after him.

Sanzo hadn't told her to stay in one place. He'd just told her not to fight. She wasn't going to fight. She just wanted to yell at the strange man for upsetting Hakkai.

"Up here, Little One."

Meika looked up and saw Chin Yi-So waving at her from the top of one of the buildings a ways off from the group. She climbed up and glared angrily at the strange man. "Leave my HaHa alone! If you don't, I'll beat you up."

Chin Yi-So smiled as he approached Meika. His smile widened at the way she hesitantly walked backwards. He knelt down in front of her when she was at the edge of the roof. "Now, now, Little One, there's no need for such violence."

Meika flinched as he held her face in between his hands. His skin was cold and clammy and made her sick to her stomach. "Then leave my HaHa alone."

"Silly child. You know nothing of the man Cho Gonou truly is." Chin Yi-So leered.

"Who's Cho Go—"

"There you are!"

Chin Yi-So frowned as he stood up and faced Kougaiji and his group. "My, how rude of you to interrupt our conversation."

Kougaiji glared at the man. "Get away from her."

"Meika-chan, come here." Yaone held her arms out to the small child.

Meika quickly bolted around Chin Yi-So and ran into Yaone's awaiting arms. She sighed in relief at how warm she felt. "I don't like him…"

"I suggest you leave." Kougaiji gritted out.

"Of course." Chin Yi-So bowed low. "Until we meet again then, Little One."

Kougaiji breathed out a sigh before kneeling down and gently pulling Meika away from Yaone. He held her at arms length and gave her a stern look. "What were you thinking!? That was completely stupid and dangerous following him like that! Didn't Sanzo teach you never to go off with strangers."

"I know he did." Dokugakuji knelt down as well. He placed Meika's hat on her head that she had once again dropped. "That's the first thing you told me when we met."

"You really must be more careful." Yaone rubbed the shuddering child's back soothingly. "What if he had kidnapped you or hurt you?"

"Yeah!" Lirin piped in, kneeling next to Kougaiji and poking Meika's cheek. "You would've made droopy eyes all sad."

Meika was silent for a moment before she burst into tears. "I'm…I'm…I'm sorry! I was mad at him for being mean to HaHa earlier and…and…and…" The rest of what she said was complete gibberish as she continued to cry.

Kougaiji sighed at the looks Dokugakuji and Yaone gave him. He wiped Meika's tears away with a clawed hand before hugging her. "It's okay. Nothing bad happened, thankfully. You have to promise me you won't do something stupid like that again."

Meika held onto his jacket as she nodded her head vigorously. "I promise! I won't do it again!" She lifted her head up and looked at Kougaiji, silently pleading at him with her red eyes to not be angry with her.

Kougaiji smiled and wiped her last tear away. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "That's my girl."

When Yaone returned Meika to the Sanzo group a few minutes later, Meika's cheeks were tinted pink and her eyes were dazed and happy.

Sanzo glared accusingly at Yaone. "She's still broken. She looks worse than before."

"What'd that bastard Kougaiji do to her!?" Gojyo wailed as he picked Meika up. "He's tainting my beautiful flower!"

Hakkai smiled as he took Meika from Gojyo. He bowed to Yaone. "Thank you for finding her."

Yaone bowed as well. She smiled reassuringly at Meika, silently promising to keep her promise not to reveal where Meika had gone. She bowed one last time before leaving.

Sanzo glared at Meika. "The next town we get to, we're buying a leash."

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**Eh….so-so ending but I like the rest of this chapter. Will Meika ever find out what Chin Yi-So meant? Will she be able to keep her hat for more than five minutes? And, will Sanzo really buy a leash? Review to find out!**


	20. Chin YiSo

**Sorry for not updating the past couple of weeks! I got sick with a fever one week and then school started back up the following week. I'm back though!**

**Sakura02: I'm still kicking ass at my Harvest Moon game :)**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: Haha, yeah, I think most girls would be a fangirl for Kougaiji, especially if he kept saving them.**

**SinisisterGinny: …Now I'm picturing Goku being dragged around on a leash and it's amazing **

**Thanks: XxBloodyRiverxX, 030artastic, SaiyukiSucker, i love athrun, FMASaiyukiFanatic, CrippledSoul, nsomniacartist, nine lifes, Haruna Uchiha, krystal, Rakuen91, Treia, and Princesa de la Luna for reviewing!**

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"HaHa, what's wrong?" Meika asked sleepily. She uncurled herself from her sleeping position between Gojyo and Goku in the back seat. Her hat slipped off her head and her hair stuck out everywhere.

Hakkai snapped out of his reverie and turned to smile reassuringly at the half-asleep child. "Don't worry about it, Meika dear. Go back to sleep."

Meika climbed into the front and curled up in Hakkai's lap. She buried her face in his chest and took a deep breath, sighing in relief. She always loved how Hakkai smelled. She could never quite place what the smell was. It wasn't any flowers or food or anything. It was a smell that was purely Hakkai and comforted her greatly. "I can't. I keep having nightmares…"

"Would you like me to sing to you?" Hakkai whispered so as not to wake the others. He smiled at the slow nod Meika gave him. He knew she was completely exhausted from how sluggishly she was moving. He hummed softly until he felt Meika's hands still in their movement of clutching his shirt and her breathing evened out.

"Something wrong?" Sanzo asked groggily. He frowned when he realized Meika had moved from her spot in the back. "Nightmares?"

"It would seem so. I'm going for a walk." Hakkai got out of Jeep with Meika still in his arms. He placed her back in the backseat and tucked her in with her yellow blanket. He smiled as she adjusted herself so that her head was in Goku's lap and how Goku's arm wrapped instinctively around her waist.

Meika faded in and out of sleep. Faces that were so familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time danced across her closed eyelids. Suddenly bloody images and pain filled screams filled her mind. She shot up in the back of the jeep and looked around frantically. She saw that both Hakkai and Gojyo were missing. Tears had already begun to spill down her cheeks as she climbed out of the jeep and shuffled off to find the two.

"Meika, what's wrong?" Gojyo had looked up when he heard a twig snap only to find his little angel rubbing her eyes and crying.

Hakkai was startled when Meika bypassed Gojyo and ran straight to him. He patted her back as she hugged his knees tightly. "Another nightmare?"

"You were covered in blood." Meika whimpered out. "You were crying and covered in blood, HaHa. Why did that woman hurt herself?" She looked up when she felt Hakkai stiffen. "HaHa?"

"You dreamed that?" Hakkai asked softly as he knelt down to Meika's level. He held her face between his trembling hands.

Meika nodded slowly. "I dream about all of you. It's all I ever dream about." She decided to omit the strange people she had recently begun dreaming about. "Sometimes, I dream about JoJo when he was little and a lady was trying to hurt him and then sometimes, I dream about ZoZo standing over a man's dead body. Is that why all of you are hurting? I don't want any of you to be sad. Please don't be sad about the lady, HaHa."

Both Gojyo and Hakkai were silent as they stared in shock at the little girl. It was Hakkai that finally broke the silence. He hugged Meika tightly and kissed the top of her head. "I'm so sorry you have to see that, Meika."

Before Meika could respond, a strange doll appeared from the darkness of the forest. Hakkai pushed Meika behind him. "Stay back, Meika."

"_Nee-hao, murder Cho Gonou_." The doll clicked out. "_Was the_ _blood warmer than the woman's skin? I'll help you remember what you've forgotten because you are a sinful person…"_

Hakkai frowned as he looked down at the doll. "If you have business with me why don't you come out and actually talk."

Meika remained behind Hakkai clutching his pants despite the fact that he was trying to push her towards the trees. She remained stubbornly rooted to her spot, glaring at the doll. She felt a shudder run through her when she looked up and saw the look of pure hatred of Hakkai's face.

_"Yes, that's your true face, Cho Gonou!" _The doll clicked.

"Fuck you, ya piece of shit!" Gojyo blurted out as he kicked the doll.

"Language!" Hakkai reprimanded as he quickly covered Meika's ears.

Gojyo grinned sheepishly at Meika. "Ignore what I just said. Let's go back to Jeep."

The next few seconds seemed to go in slow motion for Meika. One moment they were making their wake back to Jeep and the next, a strange beam of light shot out of the doll's mouth and directly into Gojyo's chest. Meika heard someone scream and vaguely realized it was herself. "JoJo!" Meika knelt beside Gojyo and held his head tenderly in her lap.

"What the hell happened!?" Sanzo and Goku appeared through the break in the forest.

Meika looked up, tears once again in her eyes. "Gojyo got hurt…"

"What the hell is that!?" Goku yelped as he pointed at Gojyo.

It seemed like veins were popping up all over Gojyo's body. He was screaming in agony. "It feels like something is crawling around inside of me!"

_"It's a seed. It attaches to veins and sucks the blood from the body. If you don't hurry, he'll become a tree."_ The doll laughed. _"I've implanted it right by his heart."_

"JoJo, hang on!" Meika attempted to try and hold Gojyo still. She glared over at the doll, hatred blossoming in her chest. She had never felt such rage before in her life and a small part of her was afraid of it. She jumped when Sanzo shot the doll's face off.

"Goku, hold Gojyo's arms down! Meika, move." Sanzo pointed his gun at Gojyo.

"What're you doing, ZoZo!?" Meika screamed. She held Gojyo's head to her chest. She was practically sitting in Goku's lap as he held Gojyo's arms. "Don't hurt JoJo!"

"Be silent, Meika!" Sanzo snapped. "Hakkai, as soon as I shoot the seed, immediately close the wound. If he dies, it's because his heart is too weak."

"I'm so pissed, I'm not dying." Gojyo grit out. He gave Meika a shaky smile. "I'll be okay so you better stop crying."

"I will." Meika nodded her head vigorously. Despite the fact that she knew that Sanzo was about to shoot Gojyo, it still startled her. She stroked Gojyo's hair as Hakkai healed his wound. "Is he okay?" She asked softly.

Hakkai smiled reassuringly at her. "He's unconscious but his heart beat is normal." He began trembling. "This is all my fault…"

"Shut up." Sanzo snarled out. "If you lose your cool, you'll just play into Chin Yi-So's hand." Sanzo barely had time to catch Hakkai as he collapsed. "Goku, get some water."

Meika sat huddled between both Gojyo and Hakkai. The hatred was returning tenfold now. How dare this person come in and hurt all of her loved ones.

"Oi, stop that." Sanzo knelt in front of her and gently took her hands in his. He frowned down at where she had dug her nails in so hard that the she had broken the skin. Blood stood out against her pale skin. "You cannot become hateful." Sanzo smoothed her hair down against her cheek.

"He's hurting everybody." She said softly. She reached up and wrapped her arms around Sanzo's neck. She buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Why can't I hate him?"

"Because it's not in your nature to hate." Sanzo stated plainly. "You're nature is to love everybody. You can dislike, but I don't ever want to see you with hatred in your eyes again. It'll make those idiots upset if you do."

Meika peered over at where Gojyo and Hakkai were sleeping. "Okay. We're still going to kick his butt, right, ZoZo?"

Sanzo chuckled. "Hell yes."

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**Yay! I'm back everyone! Please review and let me know your thoughts!**


	21. The Fake

**Hello again, everyone! **

**Sakura02: I didn't get you sick! Suck it up!**

**nsomniacartist: She's lived with the guys so long, nothing really fazes her much anymore.**

**XxBloodyRiverxX: Well, I've already got the nine other Baby Universe stories going on. Was there another one you had specifically in mind?**

**Thanks: i love athrun, SonYukiGoku'sSister, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, SinisisterGinny, and SaiyukiSucker for reviewing!**

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Meika blinked as she stood at Hakkai's side. Only, he looked different. His hair was slightly longer and the woman in the cell was calling him Gonou. Meika noticed Hakkai's hands trembling as he spoke to the woman. She reached out to grasp it but her hand went right through his.

She blinked again and now she was standing beside a much younger Gojyo. He was trembling from his collapsed position against the wall as a woman approached him with an axe. As Meika tried to scream for Gojyo to move, the scene faded.

Now she saw a young Sanzo standing over the dead body of a man in priest robes. She had never before seen Sanzo look so sad and broken before. She wanted to hug him and let him know it would be okay but she couldn't reach him.

Goku was trapped in the rock he had taken her to so long ago. He was reaching for the dead body of a little yellow bird. The sound of Goku's crying made Meika want to cry.

"Meika, wake up." The loving voice of Hakkai cooed.

She slowly opened her eyes to find herself curled up against Hakkai. She sat up and immediately sat herself in Hakkai's lap and hugged him tightly. Despite Hakkai's gentle prodding, Meika refused to tell him what troubled her. Instead, she simply buried her head in his chest and refused to loosen her grip.

When Gojyo returned, Meika leapt from Hakkai's lap and latched onto Gojyo. Gojyo blinked before picking her up and holding her in his arms. "I couldn't find him. I searched everywhere but the fog is too thick."

Meika tilted her head as she paused in her playing with Gojyo's hair. "Who were you looking for?"

Hakkai looked fully around the cave for the first time. "Where's Goku?"

Gojyo raised an eyebrow and winced as Meika gave a particularly hard tug on his hair. "You haven't told them yet?"

Sanzo sighed and rubbed his temples. "Goku hasn't returned from getting water. Hakuryuu is missing too." He barely had time to catch Meika as she attempted to make a run for it while Gojyo had to practically hold Hakkai down. "The monkey is already missing. The last thing we need is for you to go missing too." Sanzo snarled.

"But, what if GoGo's hurt?" Meika whined out.

"You stay in here with Hakkai." Sanzo said firmly. "Hakkai, don't you dare try and leave. His objective is you. You'll be playing into his hands if you leave." With that, he and Gojyo slipped out of the cave.

Meika reluctantly sat back over by Hakkai. She leaned against his side. "HaHa, who're Hyakugan Maou?"

Hakkai nearly jumped out of his skin. "Where did you hear that name?"

"When I was asleep." Meika shifted nervously under Hakkai's intense gaze. "I heard you and ZoZo talking." Gently, Meika placed both her hands on top of one of Hakkai's trembling ones. She smiled warmly at him. "It's okay. I know GoGo will be okay so don't worry about him."

Hakkai returned the smile. "You and Goku are very close, aren't you?"

"Yup!" Meika nodded enthusiastically. Her head suddenly perked up as a familiar voice floated through the cave. She leapt up and ran out of the cave with Hakkai close behind her. Her eyes lit up. "GoGo!" She ran over and hugged him tightly.

Goku grinned and lifted her into the air. He rubbed his nose against hers. "Hi, Meika-chan!"

Meika frowned and wriggled away from Goku. She stepped back and looked at him apprehensively. Something was wrong but she couldn't quite place her finger on it. She finally noticed and frantically looked around. "Where's Hakuryuu?"

Goku shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I'm sure he'll show up eventually."

Sanzo frowned and pointed a gun at Goku's head. He glanced out of the corner of his eye to make sure Meika didn't attempt to interfere. He could see he didn't have to worry, though.

Meika was glaring angrily at the now nervous looking Goku. "You're not my GoGo!"

Goku chuckled nervously. "What are you talking about, Meika-chan?" He turned his attention back to Sanzo only to have a bullet shot in between his eyes.

"Because GoGo doesn't call me Meika-chan. Only, Meika or MeiMei." Meika huffed out as the body fell to the ground. She watched as the body crumbled away and only a tile remained. She tugged on Gojyo's hand until he finally picked her up.

Gojyo grinned as he looked around. "Hey, you've really pissed of Sanzo-sama and Chibi-chan. You might wanna come out."

Chin Yi-So cackled as he appeared through the fog. "Wow, you guys are amazing! I underestimated you guys! How'd you figure it out? I thought it was a well made doll."

Sanzo simply rolled his eyes. "It's simple. The first words out of that idiot's mouth are always 'I'm hungry'."

Meika frowned as she wriggled out of Gojyo's arms. Now that the fake Goku was gone, there was still the question of where the real Goku was. She was about to walk away when Chin Yi-So called to her.

"Now, Little One, you shouldn't wander off on your own." Chin Yi-So cackled.

"I'm going to go find my GoGo." Meika stated simply.

"You better bring that damn monkey back." Sanzo said plainly as he lit another cigarette.

"Okay." Meika skipped off into the fog to go find Goku.

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**Blah, kind of short. Sorry about that. But hey, a short chapter is better than nothing, right?**


	22. The Visit

****

Bah, sorry for last week's lackluster chapter, guys! Hopefully, this one will be better.

**SinisisterGinny: The reason Goku is so important to Meika is because he was the one that found her and he's basically like her big brother.**

**Sakura02: Well…Sanzo has his reasoning.**

**Thank you: nsomniacartist, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, SaiyukiSucker, and angie for reviewing.**

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Hakkai glanced nervously over his shoulder where Meika had disappeared. He turned back to Sanzo. "Are you sure it's all right to let her go on her own?"

Sanzo waved his hand dismissively. "Damn brat wouldn't listen to us if we said anything. She'll come back either when she finds the damn monkey or gets scared. Kids need to make their own mistakes and all that."

It seemed Sanzo knew the young half-breed far better than any of the others in the group. Not a moment after he had spoken, Meika tore through the fog and promptly attached herself to Hakkai's leg. She was shaking and tears stood at the corners of her eyes. "I couldn't see anything through the stupid fog." She whined out.

Hakkai rolled his eyes at Sanzo's self-satisfied smirk. He patted Meika's head affectionately. "I'm sure Goku will find us on his own." He reassured.

Sanzo scoffed. "Maybe now she won't wander off so much." He shot his gun off, the bullet barely missing Chin Yi-So's feet. "Now, where is that damn monkey? I won't miss next time."

Chin Yi-So hummed as his slit eyes stared at where Meika was still attached to Hakkai. "So, tell me, what use do four men have with such a small girl?" he leered at Hakkai.

Sanzo snarled and, almost imperceptibly, adjusted himself so he was standing more in front of Meika. "I asked you about the damn monkey, not the brat."

"Hmmm," Chin Yi-So mockingly pondered for a moment. "Well, we could be wandering around in the fog or maybe a bear ate him." Chin Yi-So leapt off the rock as Sanzo shot at him.

"GoGo wouldn't get eaten by a bear!" Meika shouted. "He'd eat the bear first!"

Gojyo bit back a laugh at the image. He suddenly stopped when he felt something crawling on him. "What the fuck!?"

Meika screamed as centipedes began crawling up her legs. She would've been completely swallowed up by them had it not been for Hakkai lifting her into the air. "HaHa, are you okay?"

Hakkai winced as he felt some of the centipedes biting him. Before the insects could capture his arms, he threw Meika away from him and the others. "Run, Meika!"

Her legs were like jelly. Before her mind could process the instructions given to her, Chin Yi-So had a firm grip on her arm. She glared at him as she attempted to twist away from his grip. "Let them go."

Chin Yi-So clucked his tongue disapprovingly at her. "Really, have you been taught no manners? Children should be seen and not heard."

"ZoZo's taught me that plenty of times." Meika bit out. "I just don't listen. Now, let my family go before I hurt you."

"Your family?" Chin Yi-So's grip on her arm tightened. "Cho Gonou, do you consider this girl part of your family?" He grinned as Hakkai's slumped head shot up, hatred blazing in his visible eye. "That's the hatred I want to see. Maybe if I cut this girl's throat, you'll have a better understanding of my need for revenge."

"Leave her alone!" Hakkai snarled out. "She has nothing to do with this."

Meika could see Sanzo moving out of the corner of her eye. He was up to something and whatever it was, she was ready.

"You're annoying. Shut up." Sanzo stated coldly to Chin Yi-So. "There are three things I absolutely despise in this world and you are two of them."

Chin Yi-So cocked an eyebrow. "And what would those two things be?"

"Freaks and insects." Sanzo answered as his Maten Kyoumon broke through the centipedes and flew towards Chin Yi-So.

"Ah, have you forgotten I still have this?" Chin Yi-So scolded as she held Meika up. "She'll die too, you know." His eyes widened when he saw Gojyo's shakujo winding through the Maten Kyoumon. He didn't have time to react as the arm holding Meika was sliced off.

Meika winced at the curses Chin Yi-So spewed. She rushed over to Hakkai's shaken form on the ground and hugged him tightly. "Are you okay, HaHa?" She frowned when she didn't get a response. She released him from her hug and sat so her knees were touching his. She tilted her head up so she could see into his shocked eyes. "HaHa, don't listen to that bad man." Her tiny hands gently held his face between them. "No matter what he says, you're still HaHa."

"So, there is a brain under all that hair." Sanzo bit out dryly.

Gojyo knelt next to Meika and grinned at Hakkai. "You should really listen to our kiddo here." He ruffled her hair affectionately. His body went completely ridged when he felt claws digging into his head.

"Get away from JoJo!" Meika screamed at Chin Yi-So. Her eyes widened for a moment when Hakuryuu flew into Chin Yi-So's face. She saw an opening and decided now would be the best time to try out the new magic Hakkai had taught her. She murmured a quick spell beneath her breath and held her hands in front of her. She crowed in triumph as a small water dragon appeared and flew headlong into Chin Yi-So's chest, knocking the youkai down.

"Are you guys okay?" Goku panted out as he appeared through the trees. He winced as he was both kicked by Gojyo and tackled by Meika.

"You're late, you bastard!" Gojyo shouted.

"My leg is broken and it still hurts!" Goku managed out before he collapsed to the ground. "I'm so hungry." He whined.

Meika grinned as she hugged Goku around the waist before kissing his cheeks over and over. "Did you see my magic, GoGo? Wasn't it awesome? HaHa taught me and I thought now would be a good time to try it."

Goku grinned as he hugged Meika back. "You sound like Hakkai when you say stuff like that. He kissed both her cheeks and nose. He blinked as Meika scooted away from him. He was about to question her until a fan whacked him upside the head. "What the hell!?"

Meika giggled from her new spot beside Hakkai. She wrapped her arms around his arm and rested her head against his shoulder as a yawn tore through her. "See, HaHa, everyone's okay."

Hakkai chuckled and kissed the top of Meika's head. "We need to work on your stamina so that one spell doesn't make you so tired." He tensed as Chin Yi-So stood up with his severed arm.

"This bastard doesn't know when to give up." Gojyo muttered out.

Chin Yi-So sneered at the group. "Seeing your warm and fuzzy act makes me so sick to my stomach, it overrides the pain of losing an arm."

Meika swayed in her spot. She did need to learn better stamina. She couldn't faint now. She blinked when she felt arms on her shoulder, squeezing them reassuringly. She looked up at Goku and leaned gratefully against him for support.

"Sanzo, something's wrong with him. He doesn't smell living." Goku said as he sniffed the air disdainfully. He blinked when he no longer felt Meika's weight at his side. "Oi, Meika!" He barely managed to catch her as she began to fall.

Meika fought to keep her eyes open. "Stupid spell…" She pouted out.

Chin Yi-So laughed. "Let's see now, I've played with you and you…" he pointed at both Gojyo and Goku. As he pointed at Meika, he smiled lazily. "I would like to play with you a little more."

"You just keep your creepy self away from MeiMei!" Goku snapped as he held Meika to his chest protectively.

Meika didn't protest. She buried her face in Goku's chest as she heard Sanzo's gun go off. When she looked up again, Chin Yi-So was gone.

"You three stay here!" Hakkai shouted over his shoulder as he and Sanzo ran into the woods after Chin Yi-So.

"They left us behind on purpose!" Gojyo snapped out in realization.

"Let's follow them!" Goku ranted.

Meika was the first to notice Gojyo fall to his knees. She released her grip on Goku and went over to Gojyo. "Are you okay, JoJo? Does your injury from yesterday still hurt?"

"You're useless!" Goku whined out. "We're going to lose them at this rate!"

"I don't want to hear that from a damn monkey with a broken leg!" Gojyo snapped.

Meika sighed as the two continued to fight. At least they weren't so loud anymore as her vision went black.

She awoke in a lush green field with trees doting it. She looked around for a moment before seeing a familiar figure sitting under one of them. As she approached, though, she realized it wasn't Hakkai, but a woman who looked similar to him. "You're the lady that's always in HaHa's dreams."

The woman looked up from the book she was reading and smiled. "Yes. I'm Kanan. What's your name?"

A brief flash of the place where Hakkai found Kanan in a cell replaced the field. Blood flowed out of the cell as Hakkai crossed swords with a youkai that Meika recognized as Chin Yi-So. The field returned to her vision. "I'm Meika."

Kanan smiled warmly at Meika. "It's so nice to finally get to talk to you. You've been taking care of my Cho Gonou, haven't you?"

Blood dripping from Hakkai's stomach as Chin Yi-So's sword cut him flashed before Meika. "He's Cho Hakkai now. He's my HaHa. He takes care of me."

Kanan chuckled and patted the spot beside her. "He does, does he?"

Another flash of Hakkai's past. He was lying on the ground, wounded, as Chin Yi-So slit his own wrist and allowed the blood to drip onto Hakkai. She heard Hakkai's screams as he transformed into a youkai. "Yes. He misses you."

A look of sadness crossed Kanan's face. "I know." She placed a surprisingly warm hand on Meika's cheek. "Please, please keep taking care of him for me. I can't be there for him anymore."

Another flash of Hakkai's youkai form killing Chin Yi-So appeared. Meika nodded her head. "I will."

As Kanan began to fade away, she placed a kiss on Meika's forehead. "Thank you."

Meika awoke in Goku's arms as Gojyo carried Goku on his shoulder. She felt refreshed, as though she had slept for hours. "Where're HaHa and ZoZo?"

"Dunno." Goku grinned down at her. "We're gonna find them, though."

A chill ran through Meika. There was no time. Wriggling from Goku and jumping to the ground, Meika sprinted towards where she felt Hakkai and Sanzo's presence. When she broke through the trees, her heart stopped at the sight of Sanzo's limp form and Hakkai sitting over him. "ZoZo…."

Chin Yi-So leered over at her. "Well, I suppose you can kill her now too."

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**And…we're stopping! :) Please review and let me know your thoughts!**


	23. Life Line

**I'm so sorry I've been gone for a couple of weeks. My grandfather passed away on February 28 at 2:12 in the morning. My entire family was in the hospital all that day before and until he died. I've needed these couple of weeks to recoup and get my life back in order. **

**Thank you all for your patience and not chopping my head off!**

**Sakural7865: Patience, young one, the end is near for him. **

**Sakura02: Ew centipedes! They're icky….**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: Ha, yeah, Sanzo knows all. As for who Meika is…well…you'll just have to keep reading, won't you? :)**

**Danielle the Grammar Nazi: Aw, but cliffhangers are so much fun! By the way, I love your penname. **

**Nitrea: Lol, I think that every time I write her saying his name.**

**Thanks: CBarbie92, SinisisterGinny, mimi, nsomniacartist, i love athrun, and Princesa de la Luna for reviewing!**

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Meika remained rooted to her spot as Hakkai approached her. She tried to speak but only a small squeak of fear escaped her as Hakkai towered over her. A strangled cry tore from her lips as Hakkai grabbed her throat and lifted her into the air. Meika clawed feebly at his hand as tears poured from her eyes.

"Hey, are you guys all…" Goku and Gojyo burst through the trees. Goku's smile of relief faded when he saw Hakkai choking Meika. "What are you doing!? Put her down!"

Meika trembled as Hakkai glanced at her with cold, dead eyes. She didn't have time to scream as Hakkai tossed her to the side to charge at Goku. Meika skidded to a halt right beside Sanzo's body. A broken cry left her when she saw the blood dribbling from his mouth. "ZoZo…" She looked up in time to see Hakkai smack Goku into a tree and send the boy flying. "HaHa, stop it! Please, stop." She cried.

Chin Yi-So chuckled. "He can't hear you, my dear. He's like my doll. Now, finish off those boys and then you can take care of this little one." Chin Yi-So cackled.

Hakkai stood over Goku, preparing a chi blast. He suddenly whipped around and knocked Chin Yi-So away.

Meika blinked as Sanzo leapt to his feet and placed his gun against Chin Yi-So's head. "You're okay, ZoZo!" She wailed. She blinked as Hakkai picked her up and turned away so she wouldn't see Sanzo shoot Chin Yi-So in the head.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you, Meika. Did I hurt you too badly?" Hakkai ran his fingers over the red marks on Meika's neck.

"No, it's okay!" Meika beamed and hugged Hakkai tightly. "It hurts a little but I'll be fine! I'm just glad you aren't really crazy." She peeked around his shoulder in time to see Chin Yi-So stand up with a hole through his head. She glared hatefully at him and stuck her tongue out.

Chin Yi-So clucked disapprovingly as he licked the blood from his cheek. "It seems I was fooled by Cho Gonou's acting."

"His name isn't Gonou!" Meika bit out. If she had a rock, she'd throw it at him. "He's HaHa now!"

"The brat's right." Sanzo wiped the blood from his mouth with distaste. "Hakkai would bite his own tongue off before he'd ever kill any of us."

Hakkai chuckled and applauded. "You know, I really thought I had killed you." He smiled as Meika snuggled closer to him and yawned. "You are overdue for your nap young lady."

Chin Yi-So frowned. "How is it possible you weren't influenced by my spell?"

"Meika, cover your ears for a moment." Hakkai smiled as Meika obediently slapped her hands over her ears. He covered her eyes just for safe measure to ensure she wouldn't read his lips. "You said to me that it is easy to worm your way into someone's heart. Unfortunately for you, what little space that was left in my heart was taken up by this little girl." He squeezed Meika gently and smiled as she smiled. He then smiled evilly at Chin Yi-So. "You shouldn't have taken us so fucking lightly you bastard."

Meika blinked as she was passed over to Gojyo. "Can I move my hands now?" She whined.

Gojyo grinned and bounced her up and down. "Yes. Don't worry, we'll be on our way soon and you can take a nap."

"I'm not sleepy." She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed.

"You better not start getting snappy." Sanzo snapped. "I'm in no mood to deal with you being cranky and whiny."

"I think Meika isn't the only one who needs a nap." Hakkai chuckled. He turned his attention back to Chin Yi-So. "It's time for you to die now."

Chin Yi-So cocked an eyebrow. "Tell me, how do you plan on killing me? Your spells won't work on me. Will you take off your power limiter?" He leered over at Meika. "Of course, the poor dear might be so afraid of you afterwards."

Hakkai was silent for a moment. He then charged at Chin Yi-So and grabbed his remaining arm with his other. "I won't need to remove the limiter for you. The place I cut you open three years ago was here, wasn't it?"

Meika squeaked and slapped her hands over her eyes as Hakkai punched his free arm through Chin Yi-So's chest. She really hated the sight of blood. It made her stomach twist in knots and her feel queasy.

"You can open your eyes now, Meika." Hakkai smiled and took her from Gojyo. "I'm sorry. Did I upset you?"

"Nope!" Meika grinned at him and hugged him tightly. "Is the bad man gone now?"

"Yes." Hakkai smiled and rubbed his nose with hers.

* * *

Meika yawned as she sat beside Hakkai on the hood of Jeep. She peered over his shoulder and watched him trace their journey on the map. She rested her head against Hakkai's arm. "HaHa, I met a really pretty lady named Kanan."

Hakkai tensed and glanced down at Meika. He smiled down at her. "Did you now? What did you two talk about?"

"She doesn't want you to be sad and she made me promise to take care of you." Meika answered as her eyes drooped. "So, from now on, if your sad, I'll take care of you."

A genuine smile crossed Hakkai's face. He wrapped an arm around Meika. "Thank you." He chuckled when he heard Goku and Gojyo screaming at each other. "My, they're rather lively for being injured."

"Would you two shut up!?" Sanzo snapped from his spot under a tree.

Gojyo grinned triumphantly as he came and sat beside Meika. He ruffled her hair and looked at Hakkai. "You seem rather at ease now."

Hakkai nodded thoughtfully as he folded the map. "I feel like I've been liberated from the past I was dragging around." He sighed. "I just wish my life line was a little longer. I would like to see our little Meika grow up, get married, and have some little ones of her own."

Meika tilted her head to the side. "I can't get married. I've got to take care of you guys!"

Goku popped up behind Hakkai. "Here, I'll fix your life line!" He pulled out a permanent marker and extended Hakkai's life line all the way to his wrist. "And I won't ever let some stupid guy make babies with Meika." He scampered away as Sanzo began yelling at him.

Meika grinned and wrapped her arms around Hakkai's waist. "Now you'll live forever, HaHa!" She frowned and looked up thoughtfully at Hakkai. "What did GoGo mean about a guy making babies with me? How does that work? Is that what JoJo does with all those ladies?"

"Damnit, you stupid Monkey!" Sanzo snapped. "Now's she's asking stupid shit like that!"

Hakkai laughed and patted Meika's head. "We'll talk more about that when you're older."

Meika beamed up at Hakkai. "Can I marry Kou-san? He's really pretty and nice to me."

"No!" Gojyo wailed. He nuzzled Meika. "That evil prince is corrupting my baby! Hakkai, do something!"

Meika's smile widened at the sound of Hakkai's laughter. She silently made a vow to Kanan that she would die to make sure Hakkai remained happy.

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**Shorter than some of the others but hey, an update is an update. Please review and let me know your thoughts!**


	24. Desert

**Welcome to yet another installment of Precious Flower. Now that Chin Yi-So is finally gone, we'll be moving on to the next arc in the Saiyuki series!**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: Haha, yeah, I don't think Meika will ever find someone brave enough to face Sanzo and the others.**

**Sakura02: Lol, I thought that too whenever I wrote that line. And now I'm picturing Meika in one of those baby sling things…**

**SaiyukiSucker: I don't think it matters who it is, Gojyo won't approve of anyone marrying Meika :)**

**Thanks: CBarbie92, SinisisterGinny, i love athrun, Johnquelle, nsomniacartist, Rakuen91, Princesa de la Luna, and NarutoFallenAngel123 for reviewing!**

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"Meika, you have to the count of three to get over here and put your damn cloak on before I come and get you." Sanzo grit out. He glare up at the small girl whom was swinging her legs from the top of a tree.

"No!" Meika huffed out. "It's too hot! I don't wanna wear the stupid cloak!"

"Watch your damn mouth!" Sanzo snapped.

Hakkai sighed. "Sanzo, let me handle her." He smiled brightly up at where Meika was watching him wearily. He held his arms open to her. "Meika, please come down and put the cloak on. It won't take us long to get through the desert so you'll only have to wear it until then. If you're good, I'll buy you something yummy in the next town."

Sanzo felt his eye twitch as Meika leapt from the tree and into Hakkai's open arms. "Stupid brat…" he muttered. He climbed into Jeep where Gojyo and Goku were already arguing in the back.

Meika grinned as Hakkai clipped her cloak in place and pulled the hood over her head. She then wriggled out of his arms and climbed into her spot between Gojyo and Goku. "HaHa, can I have chocolate when we get to the next village? Can I have a cookie? Can I have some cake?"

"Be quiet!" Sanzo snapped and whacked Gojyo on the head with his fan.

"What the hell did I do!?" Gojyo yelped as he rubbed his head.

"It's your fault she's like this! You've spoiled her!" Sanzo sat back down in his seat and lit a cigarette.

Hakkai laughed. "My, you're all so lively."

"ZoZo, it's hot! Why do I have to wear this stupid cloak? There's sand in my eyes. Now it's in my mouth. I'm hungry. I'm tired. Gojyo and Goku are fighting and squishing me." She yelped as with one hand, Sanzo pointed his gun at the squabbling Gojyo and Goku and then lifted her up with his other hand.

Sanzo dropped her in the front seat in between him and Hakkai and then shoved the last meat bun the group had into her mouth. "Just shut up."

Meika smiled as she gulped down the meat bun. Yawning, she curled up and rested her head in Sanzo's lap. "Why's it taking so long to get to the next village?"

"The map said the desert wasn't that large." Hakkai reassured though he did look slightly worried.

"Hey, isn't that a person?" Goku piped up.

Meika immediately perked up. "That means there's a village nearby! We're saved!"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" Sanzo muttered. He half-heartedly whapped her upside the head as the group pulled up beside the boy.

"Hi!" Meika ignored Hakkai's protest and Gojyo's yelp of shock as she climbed over the windshield and sat on the hood of Jeep.

The boy blinked slowly as he watched Sanzo reach over the windshield and attempt to grab Meika off the hood of the car. He waved hesitantly at her. "Hello."

Hakkai chuckled good naturedly. "We were wondering if you knew how much longer it would take to get out of the desert." He handed the boy the map when he held his hand out for it.

"The desert has gotten bigger since this map was drawn." The boy explained. He flinched when he saw Sanzo finally get a hold of Meika and yank her back into Jeep and then proceed to smack Gojyo upside the head. "Um…it'll take you the whole night if you keep driving. My village is just over there. I can find you a place to stay."

"Yay! My hero!" Meika leapt out of Jeep and onto the unsuspecting boy.

The poor boy wound up being squished between a jabbering Goku and Gojyo, whom was glaring at him due to the fact that Meika was still snuggling the boy. He directed Hakkai to his village and led them to the village leader.

"Yay! No more cloak!" Meika threw her cloak off and began running around excitedly.

Hakkai sighed, reached down, and scooped up the rambunctious child. "Now, Meika, no running inside."

Meika blinked as the village leader began panicking when Sanzo took off his cloak. "Are you okay, Mister?"

The man pointed an accusing finger at Sanzo. "Out! You can't stay here! Find somewhere else!"

"Wh-wha-…" Meika began wailing as the man shoved them out of his house and back outside. "No! I don't wanna be back in the desert!" She continued crying even as Gojyo picked her up. "No! We're gonna die out here!"

Gojyo frowned. "What the hell just happened? Now, stop crying, Meika. We'll get out of here soon enough."

Hakkai smiled at the boy whom had followed them out. "You seem to know something. Would you care to fill us in?"

The boy shuffled his feet nervously. "About a year ago, another Sanzo priest came through here. The people were really excited and gave him a huge welcome. The youkai in the desert heard and came to devour the Sanzo priest."

Goku blinked and looked at Meika. "Why would a youkai want to eat a Sanzo? Does Sanzo taste good?"

Meika tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "I don't know. Sanzo…come here." She reached out to try and grab Sanzo but he simply stepped further away from her.

Sanzo ignored Meika's whining and lit another cigarette. "Youkai believe if they devour the flesh of a monk of high virtue, it'll increase their life span. Would you stop trying to bite me!?" He yanked his fan out and smacked Gojyo upside the head.

"I'm not trying to bite you!" Gojyo snapped.

"Control that creature you're holding!" Sanzo snarled out.

Goku quickly took Meika from Gojyo to save her from the impending fight between Gojyo and Sanzo. He turned his attention back to the boy. "So, what happened to that Sanzo priest?"

"He was kidnapped." The boy answered sullenly. "The youkai has left us alone since then but the desert has spread and swallowed most of our town."

Meika frowned thoughtfully. "How could a Sanzo priest be so weak? My Sanzo would never let himself get kidnapped."

Hakkai chuckled. "Not all Sanzo's are monsters. He was probably a proper and normal Sanzo."

"Ooohhh!" Meika yelped as Sanzo attempted to hit her with the fan.

"Well, I suppose we should be heading out then." Hakkai sighed as Meika began whining. "I know you don't like the heat but you just have to be patient. If you're a good girl, I buy you a pretty doll in the next town."

Meika's eyes lit up. She hadn't had a new toy in what felt like ages to her. Her happiness was short lived when she realized Sanzo would never hand the money over to buy her a new toy. She waited expectantly for him to say something but when nothing happened, she looked at him curiously. "What's wrong, ZoZo?"

Sanzo ignored her and looked back at the boy. "Do you know where the desert youkai lives?"

The boy was alarmed but nodded. "Um…yeah."

"Then take us there." Sanzo ignored Gojyo and Goku yelling at him in protest.

Meika leapt from Goku's arms and went over to Sanzo. She pulled on his robes until he finally looked at her. "ZoZo, what's wrong? Are you mad at the youkai for eating another Sanzo?"

Sanzo smirked as he picked Meika up. "Hardly. Now, if you be a good brat while we go on this little quest and keep those to idiots in check," He jerked his head towards Gojyo and Goku, "I'll let Hakkai buy you that doll."

"Bad JoJo! Bad GoGo! No fighting!" Meika was beside the two that had started up yet another argument. She slapped both of their hands and shook her tiny fingers at them. "You better listen to ZoZo so I can get my doll!"

Sanzo's smirk widened as the group headed out of the village and into the desert per the boy's directions. Perhaps there was hope for the child yet.

* * *

"MeiMei, what are you doing?" Goku knelt beside Meika in the sand where the taboo child was busy digging a hole.

"The boy said the youkai lived in the sand so I'm trying to find it." Meika answered. She dug furiously, ignoring Gojyo's protest as she sent sand flying into his eyes. She yelped when Gojyo finally picked her up. "JoJo, put me down!"

Gojyo quelled her protest with a small piece of candy he had in his vest pocket. He glanced over at Sanzo while the child in his arms happily munched on her candy. "So, why are we looking for this youkai anyways?"

Sanzo was silent for a moment. "If the Sanzo was kidnapped and devoured, then one of the Tenchi Kaigen Kyomon should be in that youkai's lair."

Meika swallowed the last of the candy. "That's like the thing you have on your shoulders, right, ZoZo?" She jumped out of Gojyo's arms and went back to digging in the sand, though she was much more careful to not throw it everywhere.

"Yeah." Sanzo answered. His head whipped around when he heard Goku yelp.

"What the hell!?" Goku yelped as the sand began pulling him underground. He looked up when he heard Meika scream and saw her getting pulled in as well. "Oi, get out of here, MeiMei!"

Meika began to cry. The sand was up to her waist now. "I can't move!" She cried harder as the others around her were being sucked in as well. The only thing that prevented her from being completely sucked in was Hakuryuu grabbing the collar of her dress. She could still feel the sand pulling her in even as Hakkai and the others disappeared. "Hakuryuu, let go! It's okay! I'll be okay! I'll go save everyone so you just wait up here and be good."

Hakuryuu attempted to pull Meika out of the sand one last time before reluctantly releasing her. As Meika disappeared beneath the sand, Hakuryuu let out a sad cry.

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**I should be studying for my history test but…Read and review please!**


	25. Beneath the Desert

**Hi again, everyone! **

**Sakura02: But I hate studying! There're so many more productive things I could be doing with my time…like writing :)**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: Nah, I thought it was kind of cute too picturing Hakuryuu trying to hold onto Meika. **

**Thank you: SinisisterGinny, i love athrun, CBarbie92, nsomniacartist, Rakuen91, DevilChile, Sakural7865, SaiyukiSucker, XxIAmPersonxX, and Princesa de la Luna for reviewing!**

* * *

Meika groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. She sat up and looked around the small cell she was in with Gojyo, Hakkai, and Goku. "Where's ZoZo?" She asked Hakkai.

Hakkai smiled down at her. "I'm not quite sure." He sighed as Goku continued screaming. "Goku, I don't think that's going to help."

"But we've gotta find Sanzo!" Goku argued. "What if that youkai eats him?"

"ZoZo wouldn't let himself be eaten!" Meika whimpered out. Her lower lip was quivering and her eyes were beginning to swim with tears. While she was confident that Sanzo wouldn't be eaten, the thought of him dying truly upset her. "H-He'll be okay."

Gojyo took Meika from Hakkai and nuzzled his cheek with hers. "That's right. He's going to be okay so you don't need to worry about him. We'll figure out a way to get out of here."

Meika's ears perked up as she heard a strange skittering noise coming closer and closer. "What's that sound?"

Hakkai frowned. "I don't hear anything."

"I hear it too." Goku glanced down at the ground and his eyes widened. "Gojyo, don't put Meika down."

Curious as to the sudden panicked looks on everyone's faces, Meika looked down. She wished she hadn't. "Scorpions!" She shrieked. Her grip on Gojyo's neck tightened and her tears returned. She was deathly afraid of scorpions ever since she had been a baby. One had crawled into her crib one night at the temple and stung her repeatedly. She'd hated the ghastly creatures since then.

"We need to get out of here." Hakkai took Meika from Gojyo so that Gojyo and Goku could punch through the cell wall. He handed the still terrified child back to Gojyo. "This way!"

Meika clung tightly to Gojyo as they ran out of the cell room and far away from the scorpions. Once they were a good distance away, her grip on Gojyo loosened. "You can put me down now." She muttered. Even after Gojyo put her down, she held tightly to his hand, her own trembling. She couldn't help the tears that leaked out of her eyes and the whimper that escaped her throat.

Goku knelt in front of her and grinned. "Hey, it's okay, MeiMei. We got away. They won't hurt you." He blinked as Meika flung herself at him and began to cry.

"I hate scorpions!" She cried for a few moments before taking a shuddering breath and releasing Goku.

"I wouldn't have let any of them near you." Gojyo smiled at her as Meika took his hand again. His head whipped around with everyone else's when they heard a gunshot and a scream of pain.

The group ran down the hallway and finally came to a closed door. Goku yanked the door open and was shocked by what he saw. "What the hell are you doing, Sanzo!?"

Meika peered around Goku's legs. Her eyes widened at the sight before her. The youkai was lying helplessly at Sanzo's feet with multiple gunshot wounds littering his body. What caused her to tremble, however, was the sadistic smirk on Sanzo's face. "ZoZo…"

Gojyo stepped forward and yanked Sanzo back. "That's not like you to torture someone like that."

"Tell me, then, what is 'like me'?" Sanzo asked, the smirk never leaving his face.

Meika remained in the doorway, clutching the sides tightly and trembling. She had never seen Sanzo with such a cruel look on his face before. She blinked as Goku stepped forward and kicked Sanzo in the shins. He glared at Sanzo. "Hit me. Hit me with your stupid paper fan and call me a stupid monkey. That's what the Sanzo I know would do. The Sanzo I know wouldn't be so cruel and make Meika cry like that."

Sanzo glanced over and saw that Meika was indeed crying in the doorway. He frowned at how she flinched when he looked at her. He would deal with her in a moment. First, he turned his attention to the bleeding youkai on the floor. "Where did you put my Kyomon and the other Sanzo's?"

"The other Sanzo's is somewhere in this castle. Yours is behind that dresser." The youkai gasped out.

Sanzo turned his attention to the dresser. He looked back over at Meika and held his hand out to her. "Meika…"

Meika's eyes widened as the youkai's nails extended and impaled Sanzo. She faintly heard someone screaming and only realized it was herself a moment later. She couldn't see very well through the tears in her eyes as she rushed forward to where Sanzo had collapsed. "ZoZo! HaHa, make him better!"

"I need you to move, Meika." Hakkai said gently as he inspected Sanzo's wounds. His eyes widened. "This is…"

The youkai cackled from his spot on the ground. "My nails have the poison of scorpions on them. Of course, I injected him with a lethal dose."

Hatred flashed in Meika's eyes. "Bastard, fix him now!" She began sobbing as Hakkai held her back and Gojyo rushed forward to force the antidote from the youkai.

"He's already dead." Gojyo ground out.

"ZoZo…" Meika nuzzled against his side. She looked up when Goku began to cradle Sanzo in his arms. A brief flash of when they fought with Rikudo went through her mind and she worried he would lose control again. She refused to move from Sanzo's side, however, and simply snuggled closer to him.

Goku looked up at Hakkai with determined eyes. "How can we save Sanzo?"

Hakkai smiled, relieved that Goku wasn't going to go berserk. "Our main priority should be to reach the surface and return to the village. They may have a serum there." His head whipped around as a loud crashing sound reverberated through the underground castle.

"What was that!?" Meika whimpered out, instinctively covering Sanzo's body with her own.

Hakkai's eyes widened. "This is an underground base and we punched through a wall to get out of our cell…"

"What's the problem?" Gojyo asked.

"Well, if that wall were around a pivotal point of the underground castle, what do you think would happen?" He asked.

"Simple: it'll lose to the weight of the desert above and…" Gojyo trailed off as his own words sank in.

Meika screamed as a wave of sand suddenly rushed into the room. She was quickly scooped up into Gojyo's arms. "What're we going to do!?"

"Hold this, Meika." Hakkai handed her Sanzo's scroll. "Guard that with your life, understand? Sanzo will be angry with us if we lose it." He quickly spun around and muttered a spell to shield the group from the incoming sand. "I can only protect our heads so please mind your feet!"

Meika clung tightly to Gojyo and held the scroll firmly to her chest. "I'm scared, JoJo. Are we going to die down here?"

Gojyo's grip tightened on Meika as he made sure that not even the tips of her shoes touched the sand. "We're going to be okay, baby girl." He really wasn't sure if they would get out or not so he held her head against his neck so she couldn't see just how much sand was quickly filling the room.

A sudden gust of red wind spun through the air and dispersed the sand. Meika cautiously opened her eyes and winced at the bright light of the sun blinding her eyes. "What happened?"

"So you guys were here." Kougaiji stood above the group with Hakuryuu in his arms.

Meika's eyes lit up and she smiled at the youkai prince. "Kou-san!" She wriggled out of Gojyo's grip and scrambled up the embankment to the Kougaiji. She hugged him tightly. "Thank you for saving us!"

Kougaiji simply looked away and patted her head. "We just happened to be passing through."

The others crawled out of the hole. Hakkai was relieved when Hakuryuu flew over to him before he collapsed. Gojyo caught him and eased him to the ground.

"Hey, where's that Yaone girl?" Goku asked, desperation clear in his voice. "Sanzo's in trouble!"

Reality crashed back around Meika. She released Kougaiji and rushed back over to Sanzo's side. She looked pleadingly at Kougaiji. "Can you help him, Kou-san?"

Kougaiji stared at the group for a moment as Goku argued with Gojyo and Hakkai about whether he could carry Sanzo on his back all the way to the town. Meika was using her shirt sleeve to dab at the sweat beading on Sanzo's forehead with worried eyes. "We have a flying dragon that you can use to take him. However, you'll have to kill me if you want to take it. If I win, you will hand over Sanzo's Maten Kyomon."

Meika stared at Kougaiji in utter disbelief. "What's wrong with you, Kou-san!? You're acting weird!" She screamed as Kougaiji launched an attack directly at Goku, therefore putting not only Sanzo in the line of fire, but herself as well.

Goku held both her and Sanzo close to him. He glared up at Kougaiji as the youkai prince appeared at his side. "What's wrong with you!? You could've hurt MeiMei!"

Kougaiji frowned at him. "Do not forget; I am your enemy." He kicked Goku in his chin and sent him flying.

"GoGo!" Meika looked up at Kougaiji with terrified eyes. He seemed different, not the same kind prince that had saved her many times now. "Kou-san, please stop." She whimpered out.

Kougaiji glanced down at her and noticed she had the scroll in her hand. He took a step towards her. "Give me the scroll, Meika."

Meika shook her head and clutched the scroll tighter to herself. She sat beside Sanzo's body, her eyes never leaving Kougaiji's as he approached her. "I won't! I won't let you have ZoZo's scroll!"

"Get away from them!" Goku screamed as he rushed forward. He punched Kougaiji in the face and sent the youkai prince flying.

Hakkai stooped down beside Sanzo and Meika. "Goku, you focus on fighting him. I'll take care of Sanzo and Meika."

Goku stared at the unconscious Sanzo in Hakkai's arms and then to Meika's trembling form clutching the Maten Kyomon tightly. "Hakkai, will you stop me later?"

Hakkai's eyes widened. "You aren't seriously planning to…"

Goku's hand was already on the band around his head. "I can't kill him the way I am now. I cant lose though. I'll leave it to you."

Meika covered her ears as Goku began screaming in agony. She looked up once he stopped screaming and her eyes widened. Standing before her was Goku in his true form. She watched as a sadistic smirk played across his face. "GoGo…"

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**Well, you guys are going to have to wait until next time to see what happens! Review please!**


	26. Normal Routine

**Hello again, everyone! Terribly sorry for my long absence. The last couple of weeks I've been finishing up classes, then I had the oh so exciting finals of doom. Now, it's summer vacation! I hope you can all forgive me for my tardiness!**

**Sakura02: Actually, he's a shman thingy. Sanzo called him out on it. And yes, none of the boys will ever let Meika die.**

**dani the grammar nazi: No, I love the arcs where Goku is in his true form too. :)**

**KaKashiisWifey: I'm going to follow the manga as long as I can get a hold of the manga. After that….**

**Thank you: H-Dawg-luvs-anime, i love athrun, Sakural7865, XxIAmPersonxX, SinisisterGinny, Rachael Hyuuga, Rakuen91, SaiyukiSucker, ichixichigo, and Autobot traitor for reviewing.**

* * *

Meika shivered and clutched the scroll tighter to her chest. She shook her head slowly. "That's…that's not my GoGo." She whimpered out as Goku began to pummel Kougaiji.

"He's gotten stronger." Hakkai muttered. He placed a hand on Meika's head. "It'll be all right. Your Goku is still in there."

"Make this GoGo go away!" Meika screamed out as Goku began to viciously torture Kougaiji. Without really thinking, she threw the scroll on top of Sanzo's body and rushed forward to where Kougaiji and Goku were. All she could really see were the three deep gashes Goku had slashed across Kougaiji's chest. "GoGo, stop it!" She yelled.

Goku paused in his slashing and slicing of Kougaiji to stare at the small child rushing towards him. _"MeiMei…"_ He whipped around when he heard Dokugakuji rushing towards him with his sword drawn. He leapt onto Dokugakuji's sword and kicked him in the side of his head.

"Kou-san!" Meika knelt beside Kougaiji. She could feel her throat closing up at the sight of all the blood covering the youkai prince. One of his arms was nearly severed off and he was barely breathing. "Kou-san, wake up." She felt a tremor creep up her back. Slowly, she turned around with tears rolling down her cheeks. "GoGo…"

Goku stood over her, blood dripping from his fingertips. He stared at her for a moment before kneeling down. He reached out to her with his bloody hands and held her face in between them. _"MeiMei…my MeiMei…"_

"Oi, get away from her!" Gojyo yelled and charged at Goku.

Annoyed, Goku whipped around and lunged at Gojyo. He crushed the top of Gojyo's scythe with ease. When he attempted to bite Gojyo he instead got a mouthful of metal bar.

Meika turned her attention back to Kougaiji whom was hacking up blood. She rested a hand on his cheek. "Hang on, Kou-san. I'm going to check on Doku-san, okay? I'll be right back." She could hear Goku beating Gojyo but couldn't bring herself to look. She didn't know what she'd do if she saw one of her family members beating another in a non playful way. As she was making her way towards Dokugakuji, Gojyo suddenly flew by her. "JoJo!"

"Meika, stay back!" Gojyo hacked out. He flinched as Goku appeared in front of him.

Goku raised his foot to crush Gojyo's head in. He paused at the last moment when Meika threw herself over Gojyo's head. _"MeiMei…"_

Trembling, Meika stared up into Goku's empty golden eyes. "GoGo, please stop. You need to stop hurting everyone."

Goku cocked his head to the side. He suddenly howled in rage when Hakkai attacked him with a spell from behind. He whipped around and snarled.

Hakkai knelt beside Meika and rubbed her shoulders reassuringly. He stared at Goku. "It's been almost thirty minutes now, Goku. If we don't hurry, Sanzo will die."

"I don't think he cares anymore." Meika whispered out as Goku smirked sadistically. She shuddered as she tenderly held Gojyo's head in her lap. "HaHa, what're we going to do?" Her eyes widened. "HaHa, watch out!"

Hakkai barely managed to avoid another attack from Goku. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Goku crouching in front of Meika. "Goku…"

Meika huddled her tiny body over Gojyo's. "HaHa, what's he doing?" She slouched lower when Goku's eyes fell on her.

Goku stared at her a moment before turning again to snarl at Hakkai. "_MeiMei…mine…"_

"I'm not sure. Gojyo, are you all right?" Hakkai shouted over, his eyes never leaving Goku.

Gojyo coughed and shakily pushed himself into a sitting position. "I think I'll survive." He placed a hand on Meika's head. "Go take care of the stupid monk. Hakkai and I will deal with Goku."

Meika opened her mouth to protest but received a flick to the forehead for her trouble. She huffed, rubbed her forehead, and glowered at Gojyo. "Fine. You better not die, JoJo." She inched around Goku and rushed over to Sanzo. She heard the sound of two bodies colliding. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Gojyo and Hakkai disentangling themselves from each other. She knelt beside Sanzo. "Are you still alive, ZoZo?" When she received no answer, she began to cry. "I hate this. I just want everyone to be okay…"

"Would you stop crying?" An exhausted voice snarled out. "You're getting me wet."

"ZoZo?" Meika blinked the tears from her eyes as a hand landed on her head.

"It's all right now. Stop crying." Sanzo snarled out. He pulled his gun out and shot it into the air twice. "I'll get the stupid monkey to behave."

Meika gave a shaky smile. She frowned when she noticed how Sanzo's hand that was holding the gun was trembling. "ZoZo, are you okay?"

"Never better." He ground out. He frowned at Goku whom was staring at him. "Come on you stupid monkey. Try and kill me." He pointed his gun at the now charging Goku.

Meika's eyes widened and she quickly scrambled up. "ZoZo, what are you doing!"

Sanzo glanced briefly at her. "You're in the way." As he kicked Meika to the side, he threw his gun over his shoulder.

Hakkai caught Meika as she flew towards him. He smiled down at her. "Are you all right?"

"Stupid ZoZo!" Meika wailed as she rubbed her stomach. "I hope GoGo chomps on you!"

Hakka laughed and wrapped his arms around Meika. "They'll be fine."

"I know that." Meika puffed her cheeks out and clutched onto Hakkai's arm. She hoped Hakkai didn't notice how badly her hands were shaking or how white her knuckles were from clutching onto him. Her eyes widened as Sanzo summoned his Kyomon scripture. "He's going to kill GoGo!"

"No, see?" Hakkai soothed the now hysterical child.

Meika whimpered but rubbed the tears from her eyes to see Sanzo grab Goku's forehead. When he removed his hand, the gold band was back around Goku's forehead. "GoGo! ZoZo!" Meika wriggled away from Hakkai and rushed over to the two now collapsed men. Tears of relief spilled down her cheeks as she knelt beside the two. "They're okay…"

"Kou, are you okay!" Dokugakuji shouted.

It was then Meika remembered how the whole mess had begun in the first place. "Kou-san!" She yelled as she rushed over to Dokugakuji whom was carrying Kougaiji. "Is Kou-san okay? Are you okay, Doku-san?"

Dokugakuji glanced down at Meika and patted her with a free hand. He returned his attention to Hakkai. "I realize that Kou was the one that asked for this fight but I still don't think I can forgive you guys." He quickly ruffled Meika's hair. "This wasn't your fault. You keep being a good girl, okay?"

Meika nodded slowly. "You're both gonna be okay, right?"

"We'll manage." He grinned at her.

Meika reached out and gently held one of Kougaiji's limp hands. She kissed his palm and nuzzled her cheek against his hand. "Bye, Kou-san…"

Hakkai smiled shakily as Dokugakuji wandered off with Kougaiji. "Meika, help me load these guys into Jeep."

Meika helped to drag the three unconscious men to Jeep. She frowned when she noticed how badly Hakkai was shaking. She sat next to him while the others were passed out in the back. "HaHa, are you okay?"

"I'll be fine." Hakkai smiled reassuringly at her. He wrapped an arm around Meika and pulled her against his side when he noticed her yawning. "Get some rest."

Meika shook her head. "No. I'm nowhere near as hurt as you guys. I'll stay awake with you."

Hakkai sighed. "What a stubborn child we've raised you to be." He looked down when he got no response and chuckled when he found Meika already sleeping.

* * *

When Sanzo woke up, he felt a warm pressure against his side. He glanced down at his side to find Meika curled up against his side staring up at him. "How long have you been there?"

Meika blinked slowly before leaning up and kissing Sanzo's cheek. "Since we got here. I woke up while all of you guys were passed out and I wanted to make sure you and the others were okay. Hakkai and the others woke up a little after me so I stayed here with you."

"You better not have peed in this bed." Sanzo muttered half-heartedly.

"Well, you seem to be recovering just fine." Hakkai chuckled. "Meika, go make sure Gojyo and Goku aren't killing each other."

"Okay." Meika gave Sanzo another kiss before hopping out of the bed. She tugged on Hakkai's hand to make him kneel down so she could give him a kiss as well. She then skipped out of the room to the one next door. She was greeted with the sight of Gojyo and Goku arguing. "What are you guys doing?"

"Meika, tell this idiot to be more gentle when he's wrapping an injured person's wounds!" Gojyo snapped.

"Meika, tell him he should've asked Hakkai to do it!" Goku snapped back.

"But…you guys are standing right by each other." Meika sighed as she sat on the ground in front of the two. She blinked when Goku knelt in front of her and hugged her tightly. "GoGo?"

"Indulge him." Gojyo muttered. "He's feeling guilty."

Meika smiled and hugged Goku back. "It's okay, GoGo. You didn't hurt me."

"Yeah, she's the only one you didn't lay a hand on." Gojyo grouched.

Goku continued to hold Meika. "But I could've. It was strange. Everyone else, all I wanted to do was hurt them. When I saw you though…I just…I didn't want anyone else near you."

"What the hell, stupid monkey!" Gojyo snarled. "You had no problem hurting us!"

"Yeah, well, you aren't cute and snuggly like MeiMei!" Goku snapped back.

Meika giggled as the two began to fight once again. "I'm glad you guys are all better now."

Hakkai chuckled as he opened the door. He leaned down and picked Meika up. "You two, Sanzo's awake."

"Why's GoGo trying to run away?" Meika asked Hakkai.

"Goku's being mopey right now." Hakkai explained.

Before Meika could ask why, Sanzo entered the room. She smiled brightly at him. "Hi, ZoZo!"

Sanzo ignored the frozen look of fear on Goku's face. "Goku, I'm thirsty. Get me a can of beer." He stared at Goku as the monkey refused to meet his eye. Reaching out, he ruffled Goku's hair. "You….Idiot!"

Meika breathed a sigh of relief as Sanzo beat Goku with his paper fan. "I was scared for a minute when Sanzo was being affectionate. I thought the poison might've effected his brain."

Gojyo chuckled. "Yeah. Sanzo being affectionate is downright unnatural." He flinched as three bullets were shot at him. "What the hell!"

As Gojyo, Goku, and Sanzo all began yelling at each other, Meika grinned in Hakkai's arms. "Everyone's feeling a lot better now!"

Hakkai chuckled and nodded his head. "Indeed. It's good to have our normal routine back."

Meika nodded. A brief frown marred her face as her thoughts turned to Kougaiji. She hoped the youkai prince was all right and that she would see him soon.

* * *

**And….that's it! Again, sorry for the long wait! I hope you'll all review and let me know your thoughts!**


	27. Mismatched Eyes

**Yay, Memorial Day! Tomorrow I start working 10 hours days Tuesday-Thursday… I've just gotten into the series True Blood. It's pretty good but a very mature series. Starting the countdown to my 21****st**** birthday!**

**nsomniacartist: yes, sadly, school does come before everything else. Luckily, I don't start school until August 25!**

**Sakura02: That's exactly what I was picturing when I wrote that :)**

**Thank you: FMASaiyukiFanatic, i love athrun, anna1991, Rachael Hyuuga, SinisisterGinny, SaiyukiSucker, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, lovepikachu12, and Princesa de la Luna for reviewing!**

* * *

_"MeiMei, come play with Nataku and me!" A familiar voice called. "Nataku likes when you play with us, right, Nataku?" The voice teased._

_"S-Shut up!" A voice that Meika recognized stammered._

_"Yanmei, will you help me? I can't find this book I'm looking for." A soothing voice sighed out._

_"There's my beautiful princess! Were you good while Daddy was away?" Another voice teased._

_"Damn brats get out of my office!" Another voice snapped._

_Meika opened her eyes and the voices faded. She realized she hadn't awoken for she was sitting in the most beautiful flower field she had ever seen in her life. Beside her was a girl that could have been her twin. _

_The girl had long red hair tied up in high ponytail and deep red eyes. She wore a silk white dress with gold trim on it. Her feet were bare as she skipped around picking various flowers._

_"Ah, Yanmei, what are you doing here?" _

_Meika turned around at the same time as the girl and stared up at a man she swore she had never seen before. At the same time, there was something about him that was oddly familiar. He had short black hair that didn't even reach his shoulders. What struck Meika the most aside from the shackles that bound his hands together with a chain, were his mismatched eyes. One was a deep blue color while the other was gold. The girl, whom the man had called Yanmei, smiled brightly at the man. "I'm waiting for Goku-chan and Nataku-chan. We're going to pick flowers for Konzen-chan since he's always so grouchy."_

_The man chuckled and knelt beside the pouting child. "Isn't your father worried about you hanging out with just boys?"_

_Yanmei's head shook. "Daddy is helping Tenpou-chan clean his room." A wide grin suddenly spread across Yanmei's face. She held a blue flower up to the man. "You can give this to Rinrei-chan! You two are in love, right, Homura-chan?"_

_The dream faded as the man named Homura reached out to take the flower from Yanmei…_

"Damn brat, stop kicking me!" Sanzo snapped.

Meika flailed around before sitting up and looking around. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and whined when she saw the moon was still high in the sky. "Why'd you wake me up, ZoZo? It's not morning yet."

Hakkai chuckled and readjusted the blanket Meika had around her shoulders. "You were kicking poor Sanzo rather aggressively. Did you have a bad dream?"

"Um…I don't think I did." Meika tapped her chin thoughtfully. She couldn't really remember much of her dream. "There was a man…" She said slowly as a flash of mismatched eyes went through her mind.

"No!" Gojyo howled and reached forward to pull Meika into a bear hug. "My baby is too young to be having those kinds of dreams!"

Goku yawned and slowly sat up in the back of Hakuryuu. He blinked and pointed up at the sky as a red light shot through the night. "Hey! A falling star! MeiMei, hurry up and make a wish!"

Meika quickly scrunched her eyes shut and clasped her hands in front of her. When she opened them Goku was leaning over her with his head hanging upside down in her face.

"What'd you wish for?" Goku asked.

"I can't tell you!" Meika giggled. "If I do, it won't come true."

Sanzo rolled his eyes and forced Meika to lay back down. "Sleep. Now."

Meika opened her mouth to complain but her stomach beat her to it. She whined as she curled up and clutched her stomach while resting her head on Sanzo's lap. "I'm too hungry to sleep, ZoZo."

Hakuryuu suddenly woke up and turned his headlights on. He chirped at Hakkai.

Hakkai laughed. "Well, Hakuryuu is rested and ready to go. Hopefully we can find somewhere that's open…"

* * *

"They didn't have chocolate milk." Meika whined as the group finished off their meal. She scooted her chair closer to Gojyo and nuzzled into his side. "I'm sleepy now, JoJo. Can we go? This place smells funny."

"What did your damn brat say!" The owner of the restaurant snapped.

Sanzo sighed when all the other people in the restaurant stood up as well. "You heard her. This place stinks." He stood up, along with Hakkai and Gojyo. Gojyo lightly pushed Meika to stand behind him.

Before the owner could retaliate, two men walked into the restaurant. Meika peered around Gojyo as the two men walked by. One had light black hair, almost grey in a bun. Meika wasn't sure how he managed to not run into anything since his eyes were closed. The other man had fiery orange hair and when he glanced towards Meika, she saw that he had a scar over his right eye and an eye patch. She hid behind Gojyo when the man smiled briefly at her. "Can we go now?" She asked.

"Hold on, baby girl." Gojyo patted her head and walked towards them men. He blinked as Meika remained firmly attached to his leg but he shrugged it off. He placed a hand on the orange haired man's shoulder. "Hey, you got a light I can borrow?"

The man glanced at Gojyo before holding his lighter out. While Gojyo lit his cigarette, the man stared at Meika. "Cute kid." He muttered.

Meika lowered her head and tightened her grip on Gojyo's leg. There was something strange about the two men. They weren't human, she could tell that much, but they weren't youkai either.

"Thanks." Gojyo grinned and ruffled Meika's hair. "Say thank you, Meika."

"Thank you." Meika muttered as the man continued to stare at her.

"All right!" Gojyo huffed out. "Now that I've had my after dinner cigarette, we can go."

Sanzo sighed and held his credit card up. "Even if this food was utter crap, I'll pay for it."

The owner snarled. "You bastards aren't walking out of here alive! I'm going to kill all of you!"

Meika was about to use one of her spells when the orange haired man slammed his hands on the bar and stood up.

"Isn't that rather extreme?" The man asked.

"This has nothing to do with you!" The owner snapped.

The man snorted. "Oh really? We're customers too, you know. Besides, I hate the smell of youkai."

Meika perked up. "Youkai?" She sniffed the air again. Now that she thought of it, the strange smell she had smelt earlier definitely reminded her of a youkai's scent. She tugged on Sanzo's robe once she and Gojyo were back beside the group. "ZoZo, are those guys really youkai?"

The owner simply glared at the man at the bar. "Who the hell are you two?"

The man smirked. "We're gods."

"ZoZo, are they gods? They don't look very godly to me. But, neither did the shman thingy that kissed Gojyo." Meika rambled on. "They don't feel like youkai or human…"

"Meika, enough." Sanzo said softly.

Meika squeaked as Sanzo unexpectedly lifted her up in the air and held her in one arm. "ZoZo?"

The group of men cackled. "You guys are gods? You shouldn't joke like that."

The other man sighed as he remained seated. "Really? Your face looks more like a joke to me."

Meika burst out laughing along with Goku. "He spoke! I was scared he couldn't talk 'cause he was so quiet and all."

"Goku, Meika, it's rude to laugh." Hakkai bit out, clearly keeping his own laughter at bay.

Sanzo rolled his eyes at Meika. "Just because other people don't talk as much as you doesn't mean they can't." He glared at the two men as they began fighting the owner and his group. "I don't like them."

"ZoZo…?" Meika tilted her head up, concern written on her face. She was distracted when the owner changed into his youkai form. Her eyes widened and she pulled on Sanzo's robe. "ZoZo, it's a zebra youkai!"

The orange haired man chuckled. "It's too bad you're part youkai, kid." He turned his attention back to the owner. "I hate youkai from the bottom of my heart. No matter who they are or how they act, I despise them all."

Meika snuggled closer to Sanzo and wrapped her arms around his neck as the man continued to beat the youkai owner. She blinked when Sanzo began walking towards the exit. "ZoZo?"

"Let's go." Was all Sanzo said to the others.

When the group got outside, another group of youkai with a burnt looking truck were waiting for them. Meika yawned and rested her head on Sanzo's shoulder. "ZoZo, I'm sleepy now. Tell the youkai we'll play with them later."

"Now, Meika." Hakkai said firmly as he took Meika from Sanzo and placed her on the ground. "Go wait inside the restaurant, okay?"

Meika's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. She was wide awake now. "What about those guys! They said they hate youkai!" She, along with the others, turned their attention back to the restaurant when they heard the sound of gun shots and dying screams.

"Just stay in the corner by the door." Hakkai said softly. "You're safer in there than out here." He smiled at the pout on Meika's face. "Don't worry. We're going to practice more so you won't faint after one attack."

Meika huffed but slipped into the restaurant. None of the youkai were still alive. She sat down in the corner closest to the door and pulled her knees to her chest. Thankfully, the two men hadn't noticed her.

The man with the bun stood up and sighed. "Really, Zenon, have you forgotten our purpose in coming here?"

Zenon chuckled and lit another cigarette. "No, Shien, I haven't. But, what's the point? Isn't _**he**_ going to fight them in the end."

Meika's eyes widened as a youkai leapt up onto the bar. "Look out!" She yelled instinctively.

Shien sighed and pulled two handles from his waistband. Two whips made of pure energy appeared and destroyed the youkai. Shien turned his attention to Meika. "Well, it seems we have a guest."

Zenon stared at Meika for a moment. "Hey, isn't she the one _**he**_ was talking about?"

"Her reincarnation anyways." Shien answered.

Meika tensed as the man from her dreams flashed through her mind. She heard screams outside and quickly rushed out to make sure that Sanzo and the others were safe. "JoJo!"

Gojyo scooped Meika up as she leapt into his arms. "What the hell is that?" He stared up at the bright orb of light that was destroying the youkai.

Meika stared intently as the orb descended to the ground and a man appeared. Her eyes widened and she wriggled out of Gojyo's arms. She stood beside Sanzo and stared at the man as he smirked at them. "Sanzo, that man…"

The man smiled at Meika. "I've waited for this day, Konzen." His eyes briefly flitted over to Meika. "It is good to see you again too, Yanmei."

* * *

**And we're stopping. Yup, we're going to be doing the Homura filler arc! Woo hoo! Review please and let me know what you think!**


	28. The War Prince

**Aw, one of my Kindergarteners was a clingy little koala all last week. She made me think of Meika the whole time with how she made herself start crying and held her arms up until I finally picked her up. She's such a spoiled little thing.**

**I've had people asking me about when and how often I update. I have posted on my profile my schedule for updating so go check it out if you're curious.**

**My birthday is this Saturday! I'll finally be 21! **

**SinisisterGinny: Aw, congratulations! I hope he grows up to be just as cool as his sister :). Do your parents have a name picked out for him yet?**

**Sakura02: I love the Homura filler arc! I was sad when I finally read the manga and realized that it wasn't in there.**

**anggie: All right…I'll update…but I'm holding you to your word to keep reviewing :)**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: Normally I don't do anime fillers but I absolutely loved the Homura arc so I decided to add it in. As for Nataku…well, we'll have to see**

**SaiyukiSucker: Mwahaha, it's all part of my evil plot to make you keep you reading and reviewing.**

**chaebin: Lol, no, Meika is not based off of a kitty.**

**Thanks: kishi24kisses, i love athrun, Princesa de la Luna, and ArticFire for reviewing!**

**We're over 300 reviews! You guys are awesome!**

* * *

"Hey, Sanzo, who is this guy?" Goku asked, looking curiously at Sanzo. "And why is he calling you and MeiMei weird names?"

Meika stood indecisively beside Sanzo, looking nervously at the man. She swore she had seen him somewhere before but she couldn't quite place her finger on where. "My name is Meika." She said softly.

The man chuckled. "So, it seems you have forgotten your time in the Heavens…"

"Ah!" Goku knelt beside Meika and shook her shoulder. "MeiMei, look! His right eye is the same as mine!"

The man chuckled as he slowly approached. "Yes, Son Goku. We are both heretics, and our golden eyes are proof of that."

Meika tilted her head up so she could see Hakkai. "HaHa, what's a heretic? Does it have to do with food?"

Hakkai patted Meika's head. "Not exactly. We'll discuss it later." He frowned as Homura began getting closer to them and gently pushed Meika to stand behind him.

Gojyo was also bristling, not at all liking the way the man had looked at Meika when he first appeared. "All right, Weirdo, just who the hell are you?"

"Homura…" Meika whispered out softly as her dream returned briefly to her. She shook her head when she saw the curious looks Sanzo and the others gave her. "I don't know how…It just came to me…"

"That's right, Yanmei." Homura smiled eerily as he spoke. "I am the War Prince Homura. I'm rather surprised you don't remember me, General Kenren. Though, you're as protective of little Yanmei as always."

Hakkai placed a warning hand on Gojyo as the half-breed continued bristling. He glared over at Homura whom had paused in his advance. "Are you perhaps related to the Merciful Goddess?"

"Ah, well, it doesn't surprise me you remember the Merciful Goddess, Field Marshall Tenpou." Homura looked over at Meika whom was simply staring at him. "You seem to recognize all these names. Perhaps you remember your time in Heaven?"

Meika shook her head and moved from behind Hakkai. She stared at Homura as her dream slowly came back. "I've just had dreams…is it Heaven I'm dreaming about?"

Goku immediately scooped Meika up. "What have we told you about talking to strangers?" Goku chided. "Bad MeiMei. You don't get anymore cookies."

"Aw, but I want one!" Meika whined. "I'm sorry GoGo. It's just…he doesn't feel like a stranger…"

"Oi, Homura!" Zenon snapped as he and Shien appeared at the entrance of the restaurant. "quit babbling and get to the main point!"

Sanzo glowered at Homura as an evil smirk crossed the War Prince's face. "Do tell. What is this main point?"

"I must ask you to hand over your Maten Kyomon, Konzen." Homura's smirk never left his face as he held his hand out.

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "Great. Another one. I refuse." He snapped out.

"You'll have to die then." Homura snarled out.

Meika snuggled into Goku. Normally, she never worried when someone threatened to kill any of the group. They were all strong and could easily handle any enemy that was thrown at them. Something about Homura troubled her though. A flash of red caught her eye a split second before Homura charged at Sanzo. "ZoZo, look out!"

Goku's eyes widened as Sanzo barely had time to bring his gun up to block the flaming sword. He put Meika on the ground. "Stay put." He began running towards Sanzo to try and assist him.

"GoGo, wait!" Meika chased after him before Hakkai could grab her. Neither she or Goku got very far before Shien appeared in front of them. Meika stumbled back a few steps before clutching tightly to Goku's pant leg.

Shien stared down at the two of them. "There is no reason for you to interfere." He said softly.

Sanzo's eyes flitted briefly over to ensure that Meika was not being harmed before he glared back at Homura. "What do you want the Maten Kyomon for?"

"I'm going to destroy the Heavens where those idiots all reside." Homura answered.

Sanzo rolled his eyes before managing to shove Homura away. He pointed his gun at the War Prince and shot directly at his head. His eyes widened when the bullet did nothing.

"It's because he's not a youkai, right?" Meika asked as she looked up at Goku. She fidgeted nervously. How could they possibly fight against people that claimed to be gods? Her eyes widened as Zenon suddenly began to shoot at Homura, with the exact same result happened as had with Sanzo's gun.

Homura simply shook his head at Sanzo. "You see now that you have no chance of defeating me, a god. You won't be able to even scratch me. Now, hand over the Maten Kyomon."

"I refuse." Sanzo ground out.

"Very well then." Homura raised his sword. "I'll just have to kill you and take it."

Meika blinked as Goku suddenly leapt over Shien and rushed to block Sanzo from Homura's attack. She clenched her tiny fist together tightly. She hated always sitting out of the fights, always just watching. While Shien was distracted with watching Goku, Meika quickly slipped around him and rushed toward Homura. She knew it was a futile move but she wanted to help. She wanted to protect Sanzo more than anything else. She muttered a spell under her breath and sent a small water dragon flying towards Homura.

Homura flinched as something sharp and cold cut his cheek. He glanced down at where Meika was standing beside Goku now, glaring at him. "It would be wise if the both of you stepped aside."

"I won't!" Goku and Meika shouted in unison.

"Why do you want the Maten Kyomon so badly?" Goku snarled out.

"Leave ZoZo alone!" Meika added, stomping her foot for emphasis. She was feeling tired but not as much as she usually did after one attack. Was she possible getting stronger? She looked up and realized her attack had indeed scratched Homura's cheek, though not enough to cause bleeding.

Homura stared at the two for a moment. He then lowered his sword and turned to walk away. "At your level, you are still unable to fulfill my wish."

Meika blinked and tugged on Goku's hand. "GoGo, what wish does he want you to fulfill?"

Zenon simply chuckled. "You all will understand soon enough."

"Ah, there's more of the youkai's friends!" Meika yelped as at least six trucks pulled up filled to the brim with youkai. "What're we gonna do, ZoZo?"

Homura glared at all the youkai. "Pathetic scum." He slashed his sword across the air and sent a wall of fire to destroy all the youkai. He stared at the crater he had created before turning away again. "Shien, Zenon, we are withdrawing for now."

Zenon opened his mouth to protest but stopped when he saw the glare Homura sent him. "Fine."

"Hey, wait." Gojyo called out. When Zenon turned around, he grinned. "I need a light."

"Here, keep it." Zenon said as he tossed the lighter to Gojyo. He blinked as Gojyo threw it back at him.

"No thanks." Gojyo grinned. "Oi, Meika, let's go. It's passed your bedtime."

"Aw, but I'm not sleepy, JoJo!" Meika whined. She blinked as Zenon knelt beside her and felt Goku tense. Her confusion only grew as Zenon patted her head before standing up and walking towards Homura.

Homura stared at Meika for a moment. A brief smile graced his face. "Maybe you and I can return to that field soon…"

As soon as they disappeared, Gojyo rushed forward and scooped Meika up. "What field is he talking about! Meika, have you met that man before! Did he do something to you!"

Meika tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "Well, he was in my dream last night and we were in a field together. Maybe it wasn't really a dream…" She squeaked as Gojyo began hugging her and nuzzling her.

"Sanzo, that bastard did something to our baby!" Gojyo wailed out.

Meika looked over, expecting Sanzo to start yelling at Gojyo. She frowned when she saw the troubled look on his face. "ZoZo…"

* * *

Meika sighed as she sat in the back seat with Goku and Gojyo. The sun was out by now and the two were once again fighting. She climbed into the front seat and sat between Sanzo and Hakkai. She looked up at Sanzo and saw the same troubled face that had been there last night. "ZoZo…"

"Not now, Meika." Sanzo said shortly.

Meika flinched and lowered her head. "Yes sir…"

Sanzo sighed and placed a hand on her head, causing Meika to look up at him. "Good job…on scratching that idiot…."

It took Meika a moment to realize Sanzo was talking about the scratch her attack had left on Homura's face. She grinned and hugged Sanzo's side. "And I didn't faint or anything! I think I'm getting stronger."

Hakkai chuckled, the noise of Goku and Gojyo's fight fading into the background as it always did. "You most certainly are. I'm so proud of you."

Sanzo had had enough of Goku and Gojyo's fight and turned around with his gun pointed at them. "Both of you shut the hell up!"

Meika looked back to laugh when something flew into her face. She held it in her hand and blinked. It was a blue flower. Another flash of her dream rushed through her mind. She opened her mouth to tell Sanzo, but when she saw he was beginning to return to his usual "good" mood, she decided not to say anything. She stared at the flower for a moment and then looked in the direction it had come from. She could faintly see three figures standing on top of a rock in the distance. She quickly turned back around, the flower clutched tightly in her hand.

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**Dun Dun Dunnnn. Reviews make me very happy!**


	29. Memories

**Hello again, everyone! Welcome back to yet another installment of Precious Flower.**

**Sakura02: Lol, you're always confused :). Can't wait for this Thursday! **

**SinisisterGinny: Aw, that's a cute name! I actually have a Kindergartener named Xander right now. **

**SaiyukiSucker: Lol, I love writing Gojyo being like an overprotective parent. It's probably one of the best parts about writing this story.**

**Thanks: Dilemmas in the Sand, vj, Princesa de la Luna, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, and i love athrun for your reviews!**

* * *

Meika was floating in the darkness. She couldn't see or hear anything. _Where am I?_ She looked sleepily around. Despite how foggy her mind was, she was conscious enough to be surprised at her lack of fear towards the dark.

She flinched as a blinding light suddenly appeared above her. She squinted against the light and saw a person silhouetted against the light. She couldn't tell if the person was male or female but she could see them reaching out to her. Subconsciously, she held her hand up. Her fingers brushed against the person's and just as the person was about to grab her hand…

…a chopstick bounced off her head.

"Now, you two, you've woken Meika up." Hakkai scolded. He sighed as he smiled down at Meika's bleary eyes. "I'm sorry. Did you have a good nap? You need to eat something before we leave."

Meika simply nodded, still dazed and half-asleep from her dream. She didn't protest as Hakkai began feeding her, her thoughts still on the dream she had had. Her fingers were still warm from the person.

"MeiMei, here!" Goku grinned as he held out a cup. "I got you chocolate milk because I know how much you love it!"

"Thank you…" Meika yawned before taking the cup and sipping from the straw. She became more awake as the sweet liquid rolled down her throat. She smacked her lips and grinned.

Goku returned the grin before looking down at his plate to eat the last… "Hey! Where'd my dumpling go?"

Gojyo rolled his eyes and swallowed something. "It's not your dumpling until you've eaten it."

Meika sighed as the two began squabbling over the now devoured dumpling. Despite feeling more awake now that she had eaten, Meika still rubbed sleepily at her eyes. She hadn't been sleeping well the past few days with strange dreams plaguing her sleep.

"Would you two knock it off?" Sanzo snapped as he fired multiple rounds at Gojyo and Goku.

Hakkai sighed and stood up. He plopped Meika in Sanzo's lap while he went to apologize for all the noise. Sanzo stuffed his gun back in sleeve and frowned down at the clearly exhausted child. Dark circles were beneath her usually bright eyes. He stood up with Meika in his arms. "We're leaving!"

Meika sighed as Sanzo carried her outside while Hakkai dragged Gojyo and Goku away. "ZoZo, I'm sleepy again."

"You're sitting up front with Hakkai and me today." Sanzo sighed out. "It's probably those two damn idiots constant fighting." He frowned when Meika said nothing. "Oi, what's wrong?"

Meika shook her head and snuggled closer to Sanzo. "Nothing…I just keep having weird dreams ever since…" she trailed off, knowing Sanzo didn't like talking about the three gods that had appeared.

Sanzo was silent as the other three appeared. As soon as Hakuryuu had transformed and everything had been packed, Sanzo placed the once again asleep Meika comfortably between himself and Hakkai.

"Hey, what's wrong with MeiMei?" Goku asked, concern in his voice as he leaned forward.

Hakkai sighed as he readjusted the blanket over Meika. "It seems our encounter with those men has troubled her."

"I swear if that bastard did something to her…" Gojyo growled out.

Sanzo was the only one that remained silent. He looked down where Meika's head was resting against his leg. He could see her eyes scrunching tight and how her body curled up in a fetal position. He brushed stray strands of hair from her forehead and she immediately relaxed. He continued running his fingers through her hair as they drove on.

* * *

_She was running. It was the field of flowers again where she had first had the dream of Homura. This time though, she was chasing after someone. She didn't know why but she knew she had to catch them, no matter what. She could see a figure up ahead in the distance. She reached out her hands as she continued running. No matter how fast she ran, she couldn't catch up to the person. "Nataku!" Her voice cried out on its own accord._

_The person ahead paused and turned to her. Though his upper face was shadowed, she knew it was a boy, the one she had called out to. Something about him was so familiar to her. The boy smiled and said something, though Meika couldn't make out what it was._

_There was a blinding light from behind the boy. Meika stopped running and watched as the boy slowly vanished. "Nataku!"_

"Meika! Oi, Meika!"

Slowly, Meika opened her eyes only to be greeted by four faces looking down at her with worry. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She blinked when she realized her cheeks were wet; she had been crying. "What happened?"

"You started kicking the driver in your sleep." Sanzo said, his annoyance masking his concern.

Goku picked Meika up and put her in his lap. He snuggled with her and kissed the top of her head. "Did you have another bad dream, MeiMei?"

"I think so…" Meika blinked when she realized how dark it was outside. "How long was I asleep?"

"Just a few hours." Hakkai reassured. He sighed as he glanced back at her. "Your sleep schedule is going to be so off…"

"Look!" Goku exclaimed with excitement. "A town!"

Meika blinked slowly as the group pulled to a stop in front of the town's inn. She was exhausted and it felt like someone was squeezing her heart rather painfully. "HaHa, I'm tired." Meika whined as she pulled on Hakkai's sleeve.

The woman at the front desk sighed. "I'm terribly sorry, but we only have one room."

"That's fine." Sanzo answered. "The brat and I will take it. The rest of you sleep outside."

"The hell we're camping out!" Gojyo and Goku yelled together.

The woman watched nervously as Sanzo, Gojyo, and Goku all argued while Hakkai tried to soothe a clearly exhausted, distressed Meika that was on the verge of tears. "How about this; I can set up some blankets on the floor for the rest of you."

The group couldn't really protest so they reluctantly followed the lady up to the room. Hakkai had to pick Meika up due to the fact that she was beyond fussy and refused to move. As soon as the lady had finished setting up the four beds on the floor, she quickly departed.

"Well, we have a problem now." Hakkai said with a smile as he adjusted Meika in his arms. "Who will get the bed?"

Meika sighed as the four men argued about who would get to sleep in the bed. Finally, she lifted her head up from Hakkai's shoulder. "Why don't we have a contest then? Whoever wins gets the bed."

"That's my girl!" Gojyo grinned as he ruffled Meika's hair. "I've taught you so well!"

The group sat in a circle as Gojyo shuffled a deck of cards. "Whoever draws the highest card gets the bed." Gojyo exclaimed as he held out the fanned out cards.

"Me and Hakuryuu will draw together!" Meika exclaimed as the others took their cards. She looked determinedly at the small white dragon. "Hakuryuu, pick a good card!"

Hakuryuu chirped at Meika before pulling a card. He handed it to Meika and smiled a dragon smile at her.

Goku cackled as he revealed his card. "I got a king!"

Gojyo smirked. "Too bad. I got an ace."

"I have the ace of spades." Sanzo said as he flipped his card around.

"That's not fair!" Goku whined.

"Um…" Hakkai chuckled nervously as the others looked over at him. "It seems Hakuryuu, Meika, and I have beat you all." He flipped his card over along with Meika to reveal the two jokers.

"Yay!" Meika shouted. "I get to sleep in the bed!" She blinked as Goku flung himself onto the bed and began whining while Gojyo and him wrestled on the bed. "ZoZo, what are they doing?"

"I am not having this discussion with you." Sanzo snarled out.

The lady from earlier smiled as she opened the door with a tray of food and drinks in her hand. "I brought you all a late-night snack…." She trailed off as she stared wide eyed at Gojyo whom was currently straddling Goku on the bed.

Meika blinked as the lady quickly left the room. "What was wrong with her?"

Hakkai chuckled as he shooed Gojyo and Goku off the bed. "Nothing at all, Meika. Hakuryuu," Hakkai smiled. "the color joker is the strongest card of all so you have to sleep on the floor too."

Gojyo stared disbelieving at the door. "Uh…should we go clear up that misunderstanding?" He blinked when he saw that Hakuryuu had taken over the bed beside Meika.

Meika sighed in content as she curled up on her pallet. She was already nodding off when she felt someone tucking her into bed. She blinked sleepily up at Hakkai and smiled at him. "Night night, HaHa."

Hakkai smiled and kissed her forehead before crawling into the bed. "Good night, Meika. Sleep well."

* * *

_"Oi, Yanmei, get out of my office!" A blonde man snapped._

_Yanmei puffed out her cheeks. "But, Konzen-chan, I'm bored." She whined. "There's nothing to do and Daddy is busy right now. Plus, Tenpou-chan has to actually work and he can't play with me."_

_Konzen rolled his eyes. "Go find someone your own age to play with."_

_"But…" Yanmei looked down at her bare feet sadly. "there isn't anyone my age…"_

_"Ah, good, you're both here." The Merciful Goddess smirked as she walked in. _

_Konzen glared at her and began shuffling papers around his desk. "What do you want? I'm very busy right now."_

_The Merciful Goddess rolled her eyes. "You two, come with me. It seems one of our officers has brought back an interesting animal from Lower World. It's feisty little animal with golden eyes."_

_Yanmei quickly followed the Merciful Goddess while Konzen trailed behind, muttering curses. She hid behind the Merciful Goddess's throne like she always did since she wasn't technically supposed to be present. She listened intently as the man explained how the creature was a heretic born from a rock in Lower World. _

_She blinked as the man's assistant brought in a boy with wild brown hair and golden eyes. Her eyes widened at the sight of the golden power limiter on his head and the chains on his legs and arms. "Ah, he looks my age, Konzen!" She exclaimed as she came out from the hiding place._

_The man looked startled. "Yanmei-sama, what are you doing here?"_

_The Merciful Goddess waved her hands dismissively. She raised an eyebrow as the boy stared at Konzen and Konzen simply stared back._

_"Konzen, why do they have him chained up like that?" Yanmei asked, tugging insistently at Konzen's arm._

_"Hey, you," the boy stared at her. "do you have any food? These guys promised me food but they lied to me."_

_Yanmei blinked before digging around in her pocket. She grinned as she pulled something out. "I have a piece of chocolate. Do you want it?" Before anyone could protest, Yanmei skipped over to the boy and knelt in front of him. She smiled as she held the chocolate to his mouth. "Here."_

_The boy grinned as he opened his mouth and swallowed the chocolate whole. He smacked his lips and grinned even wider at Yanmei. "Thank you! You're the best!"_

_Yanmei giggled. "Hey, what's your name? I'm Yanmei."_

_The boy continued grinning. "I'm…"_

Meika's eyes snapped open as she frantically looked around. Somehow, she had moved from her bed to Goku's whom had been beside her. She looked down to see Goku with his arms wrapped around her, snuggling her and smiling happily in his sleep. Meika stared at his face for a moment before placing her hand on his cheek. "Goku…"

**

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**I hope you all liked the flashbacks! Review please and let me know your thoughts!**


	30. The Undertaker

**SinisisterGinny: Lol, that's hilarious! I absolutely love working with Kindergarteners. They're very interesting little people.**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: Yeah, Yanmei is actually a couple of years younger than Goku but there fairly close in age.**

**Princesa de la Luna: Yanmei's father will be revealed shortly. No, Nataku isn't Yanmei's brother :)**

**Sakura02: You just don't like Konzen because of his long hair**

**Thanks to: i love athrun, SaiyukiSucker, krystal, DevilChile, Smiling Twilight, White Arc Angel, sakura2112, anna1991, Ima, and Starmony for your reviews!**

* * *

Meika flinched as a bright light blinded her through her closed lids. Slowly, she opened her eyes when she felt someone touching her cheek. "Shman, what are you doing here?"

The Merciful Goddess chuckled. "You haven't changed at all with your silly little nicknames." The Goddess ruffled Meika's hair affectionately. "You've been having strange dreams lately, haven't you."

Meika nodded her head. "I saw someone that looked like Sanzo but wasn't Sanzo and someone that looked like Goku. I don't know what his name was. Why am I seeing these things?"

"You'll understand soon enough." The Merciful Goddess placed her hand over Meika's eyes. "Now, sleep. I have to have a little talk with your leader."

Before Meika could protest, she felt the heaviness of sleep fall over her.

_"Goku, I don't think Nataku is going to come today." Yanmei sighed out as she wove flowers together._

_"Don't give up yet, Yanmei!" Goku grinned at her. "Nataku promised he'd be here so he'll definitely come!"_

_"I'm sorry, guys!" Nataku panted out as he ran over. "I had to sneak away and it took longer than I thought." He blinked as Yanmei suddenly tackled him. "Y-Yanmei!"_

_Yanmei playfully stuck her tongue out at him as she sat up and plopped the crown of flowers onto his head. "The next time you're late, I'll beat you up like my daddy taught me to."_

_Nataku couldn't help the smile that came to his face. "Okay, Yanmei."_

Meika slowly blinked her eyes opened and looked around. It was still dark outside as she sat up in her pallet. "ZoZo?" Sanzo was no longer in his pallet. Worried, Meika quietly crept from the room to try and find him. She finally found him sitting on the small porch outside the inn. "ZoZo, what's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?"

Sanzo glanced at her as he lit another cigarette. "Something like that. You should be asleep."

"I had another weird dream again." Meika admitted as she sat beside Sanzo and snuggled into his side. "When I woke up, you were gone. I was scared…"

"Scared? Of what?" Sanzo wrapped an arm around Meika. The foolish girl had come out in nothing but her thin nightgown and he could see her already trembling from the cool air. He would have to make sure Hakkai bought her some heavier nightgowns.

Meika sighed happily, her eyes already drooping shut again. "I was scared you had left us."

"Idiot." Sanzo sighed out. "Go back to sleep." When he looked down, he found Meika already was.

_"I hate you guys!"_

_Goku and Nataku both blinked as Yanmei glared angrily at the two of them. Goku was the first to snap out of their shock as he began whining. "Why? What'd we do?"_

_Yanmei pointed accusingly at them. "You guys have those pretty gold eyes! I hate my eyes. There boring."_

_"But, I like Yanmei's eyes." Nataku said softly. "They're really pretty."_

_"Not as pretty as yours!" Yanmei protested. _

_Nataku sighed. "Yanmei, you don't even know what having golden eyes means. It means we're cursed. People hate us because of our eyes. If you had eyes like ours, you'd be cursed too."_

_Yanmei pouted. She hated when Nataku would get all sad. She noticed Goku slightly deflating as well at the mention of what their eyes meant. Suddenly she wrapped her arms around both of them. "I don't care. I don't think you guys are cursed. You two are my best friends and I think your eyes are pretty. If anyone tries to pick on you guys because of your eyes, I'll beat them up."_

_Goku grinned as he hugged Yanmei back. "You're the best, Yanmei!" _

_Nataku cracked a smile and hugged Yanmei as well. "Yeah…the best."_

"Why do we have to leave now." Goku's whining voice cut through Meika's sleepy mind. "We haven't even eaten breakfast yet!"

Meika yawned and realized for the first time she was moving. She opened her eyes and found herself staring over someone's shoulder. She lifted her head up and smiled sleepily. "Good morning, HaHa."

Hakkai smiled as he put Meika into the jeep. "Good morning, Meika. Did you get a good night sleep?"

Meika grinned when she heard Sanzo yelling at Goku for waking her up. "Yup." She sat in the front seat while everyone finished packing up and getting situated. As the jeep began driving off, Meika turned in her seat to look at Goku. "You have pretty eyes, Goku. I wish mine were like yours."

Goku blinked, unsure where that had suddenly come from. "What are you talking about? You're eyes are super pretty, Meika!"

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "It's too early for this nonsense."

Meika wasn't sure how long the group had been driving but she knew it had been quite a while. They were driving through yet another almost desert like area. The sun was high in the sky and both Gojyo and Goku were whining about being tired and hungry. Meika was trying her best to be a big girl and not complain but her stomach began rumbling too. "ZoZo, are we almost to a village."

"You've got eyes, don't you?" Sanzo pointed ahead where the outline of a village drew closer and closer to them.

Meika was so excited to get out of the jeep and stretch her legs, that she ran on ahead of the group.

"Meika, please don't wander off too far." Hakkai protested as he chased after her. He caught up to her in the center of the village with the rest of the group close behind. He sighed as he picked Meika up. "You know better than to run off like that."

"Sorry, HaHa." Meika said quietly. She frowned as she looked around. "How come there aren't any people here?"

"Now that you mention it," Gojyo said. "I haven't seen any people or animals since we got here."

Meika wriggled out of Hakkai's arms and went over to the fountain at the center of the village. "There's no water in here."

"There wasn't any water in the waterways on our way here either." Hakkai commented. "This must be an abandoned village."

"No." Sanzo looked around, his hand already in his sleeve to draw out his gun. "The buildings show no signs of dilapidation or anything."

Meika blinked as she turned to look at the group. "Then what happened here?"

Hakkai's eyes widened in alarm. "Meika, get over here now!"

Meika heard a loud thud behind her. Slowly, she turned around only to find five coffins of varying heights behind her. The one directly in front of her was a rather small coffin; a child's coffin. Meika squeaked and immediately ran into the awaiting arms of Gojyo. "I don't like it here! Can we leave?"

"Aw, but that wouldn't be any fun." A voice said from the sky. "I just wanted to welcome all of you to my utopia."

The group whirled around only to find a youkai floating in the air above them. Meika squinted her eyes against the sun and was rather surprised to see a chakra on the youkai's forehead. "JoJo, put me down." She protested as Gojyo held her tightly. As soon as her feet touched the ground, Meika shifted into a battle stance.

"What did you do with the villagers?" Sanzo snarled out, his gun already pointed at the grinning youkai.

The youkai's grin simply widened. "I erased them, of course. I like things to be neat and tidy, you see. I can't allow anything that would destroy the beauty of this village to exist."

"What's wrong with this guy?" Goku asked.

"Don't worry about him." Gojyo put a comforting hand on top of Meika's head. "The heat's probably gone to his brain…"

The youkai chuckled. "All of you are fated to die at my hands. I wonder which one of you I should deal with first." His eyes scanned the group before falling on Meika. "Perhaps the little child? She only get in the way after all."

"That's enough out of you." Sanzo snapped as he shot three rounds into the youkai.

Meika's eyes widened as the bullets went straight through the youkai, almost like he was a mirage. "What's going on?"

The youkai smirked. "I am known as the Undertaker. It is my personal duty to send all of you into those coffins. For now, though, enjoy the village." The youkai faded away as he cackled.

"I don't like him." Meika huffed out as the group walked through the village. She was walking in beside Gojyo, clutching tightly to his hand. "He's a big meanie face. I don't wanna go in that stupid coffin. It wouldn't be very comfortable."

Hakkai chuckled nervously. "I don't think the people that are generally put into coffins are worried about them being comfortable."

The group looked around the village for a bit, finding that there were indeed no people in the entire village. They eventually came upon a bar and went in. The bar was vacant as were all the other places they had been in. There was, however, a pool table in the middle of the bar. While Hakkai and Goku sat at the bar with Meika on the counter, Sanzo and Gojyo began playing a game of pool.

"So, what're we going to do?" Gojyo asked. He took the small chalk cube from Meika.

Meika pouted and looked down at her fingers that were now covered in blue chalk. "I'm bored. Can't we just leave?"

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "I doubt it's that simple. If he wants to find us, he will."

Hakkai sighed as cleaned Meika's fingers with a small handkerchief he always carried for such incidents. "I wonder where all the villagers went."

Goku glanced over at Meika, unsure if he should say anything with her present. "He killed them. It's faint, but I can smell blood."

Meika looked down at her hand that was completely clean now. "He's a really bad person." She frowned as she held her hand up in front of her, trying to summon the water element. "My magic doesn't work here. I'm going to be totally useless if we have to fight."

"Nonsense." Sanzo said. "You're always useless."

"You're a meanie too, ZoZo!" Meika said as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"It's not doing us any good to stay here." Hakkai said as he held Meika back. "Perhaps we should split up and look around a little more. Gojyo and Goku you take the east side of the village. Sanzo and I will take the west side."

Meika blinked. "What about me, HaHa?"

Hakkai sighed as he tried to find the best way to word what he was about to say. "You should stay here, Meika. Hide behind the bar until we come back to get you. It'll be safer here."

"It's because my magic isn't working, isn't it." Meika huffed out. "You're scared I'm going to get in the way if I go with you."

"Meika, that's not…" Hakkai attempted to explain.

"Fine! I'll stay right here!" Meika snapped as she hopped over to the other side of the bar and sat with her back to the group.

"Meika, don't be like that." Gojyo tried to reach out and pat Meika's head but she swatted his hand away.

"MeiMei, we just don't want you to get hurt." Goku whined out as Meika scooted away when he tried to hug her. He hated when she was angry with him.

"Let's go." Sanzo clipped out as the others tried to talk to Meika. "If she wants to throw a fit, let her."

Meika flinched as she heard the door shut. She pulled her knees to her chest and sniffled. She didn't like being angry with any of them. It wasn't their fault she was weak. "I just wanna protect everyone." She whimpered out. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. There was no point in feeling sorry for herself. While the others were gone, she could practice more magic. Though Hakkai had only wanted to teach her basic water magic, Meika had managed to get a hold of various books while they were still in the temple. She had memorized all kinds of different spells and different element magic, she had just never practiced any of them.

Peeking nervously out the door, Meika tiptoed to the back of the building. She plopped down on the dry ground and dug her hands into the dirt. She wasn't sure how long she had been practicing for when she was finally able to make the earth beneath her hand float up into the air. "I did it!"

"Ah, that's wonderful."

Meika yelped as the youkai was suddenly in front of her. She pressed herself against the wall of the building. "Go away, you mean youkai!"

The youkai simply chuckled. "How foolish they are to leave someone so helpless all alone. They must not really care about you."

"Don't you talk about my family like that!" Meika yelled. "They love me lots! You just need to leave us alone!" Meika charged forward and tried to punch the youkai. She cried out as she simply went through him and fell to the ground.

"My, you are a spirited little child." The youkai said as he stood over her with flames dancing in his hands. "I'll just leave them a little present to find."

As the flames engulfed her, Meika screamed.


	31. Making a Mess

**White Arc Angel: Lol, well, she is still a child :)**

**Sakura02: Her daddy made her a tomboy in hopes that no boy would want to date her. He doesn't want a boy like him dating his daughter.**

**FMASaiyukiFanatic: That would be awesome! Let me know when you post it :)**

**Mako-clb: I don't really see how she's getting too powerful too fast. She's just now gotten to the point where she can do one water attack without fainting and now she's begun to shakily learn how to play with earth. **

**Thanks: Fun-sized Friend, Smiling Twilight, i love athrun, mimi, SaiyukiSucker, Danielle the Grammar Nazi, and H-Dawg-luvs-anime for your reviews!**

* * *

It was Gojyo that found Meika unconscious behind the bar. "Hakkai, get over her now!" He screamed. He gently held Meika in his arms, snarling when he saw how badly burned she was. "Hey, baby girl, can you hear me?"

"MeiMei!" Goku shrieked. He was beside Gojyo in an instant. "Oi, MeiMei, wake up! Are you okay?" He placed a gentle hand on Meika's face and couldn't help the grin that split his face when she flinched away. "She's alive!"

Hakkai and Sanzo rounded the corner, an injured Hakuryuu in Hakkai's arms. His eyes widened when he saw Meika. He carefully handed Hakuryuu to Goku before setting to work on healing Meika. "That youkai did the same thing to Hakuryuu. It's unforgivable; attacking those that can't defend themselves."

Sanzo said nothing and knelt beside Meika's head. He brushed her bangs from her forehead while Hakkai healed her. "Damn brat. Can't you stay out of trouble for more than five minutes?"

After a few moments, most of the burns had disappeared from Meika's body. All that could be seen were some angry red marks on her, that would fade soon enough. Slowly, Meika opened her eyes and looked into Sanzo's. She smiled sleepily. "Hi, ZoZo."

Gojyo scooped her up and the group walked into the Billiard's Bar. Gojyo sat at the bar with the others, Meika snuggling close to him. "How are you feeling, Meika?"

Meika, now slightly more awake, frowned as she kicked her legs and waved her arms around. "Okay." She smiled brightly down the line to Hakkai. "Thanks for healing me, HaHa." She blinked when she saw Hakuryuu curled up in front of Hakkai. "What's wrong with Hakuryuu?"

"He got attacked much like you." Hakkai answered sadly as he stroked the little dragon's head. "I'm sorry. We shouldn't have left you alone, Meika."

Meika puffed her cheeks out. "I can't believe that bully! How dare he pick on poor Hakuryuu! He can't defend himself! When I see him, I'm gonna…" Her eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh, guess what! I made some dirt float in the air!"

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "Congratulations. I'm sure floating dirt will help us out."

Hakkai, on the other hand, smiled. "That's wonderful, Meika. When we get out of here, I'll start teaching you again."

Goku sighed as he rested his head against the bar. "There's no food here…I'm so hungry…"

Gojyo sighed as well as he idly played with Meika's hair. "There's no alcohol, no cigarettes, and no women. This town is the worst."

"I kind of like that there isn't any alcohol or cigarettes." Meika said thoughtfully, tilting her head up to look at Gojyo. "They make you smell bad."

Hakkai chuckled, relieved to see Meika was back to her usual self. "That's very true."

"Sanzo, can't we just leave?" Goku whined.

Meika nodded her head in agreement. "This place is boring and I really don't like that mean youkai. Maybe if Kou-san were here…" She blinked as Gojyo began wailing and hugging her tightly. He always seemed to do that when she mentioned Kougaiji. "You're really weird, JoJo."

"We're not leaving." Sano said firmly.

"Why?" Goku and Meika cried in unison. Meika managed to escape from Gojyo's grasp and walk across the bar. She plopped down in front of Sanzo, her legs swinging over the edge. "Why can't we leave? This place is boring."

Sanzo simply looked at her for a moment before poking her in the forehead. He smirked at the pout on Meika's lips.

"After the way he's mocked us, you won't be satisfied until we pay him back, right?" Gojyo asked.

"Damn right." Sanzo said. "Besides, he's not a complete moron."

Hakkai nodded in agreement, smiling as Meika began stroking Hakuryuu's fur. "He went to great lengths to prepare such a…warm welcome for us."

"He's probably put barriers up to prevent us from leave." Gojyo smirked at Goku. "Didn't you ever think of that, moron?"

"Hey, I didn't think of that either." Meika pouted.

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "You're a child. You have an excuse for being stupid."

Meika giggled as Sanzo began arguing with Goku and then somehow, Gojyo as well. She pulled her legs up and sat on her knees in front of Hakkai as she continued petting Hakuryuu. She smiled as the little dragon lifted it's head and chirped before licking her cheek. "It's okay, Hakuryuu. I'll beat that mean youkai up for hurting you."

Hakkai smiled and smoothed Meika's hair down. "I'm sorry. We shouldn't have left you alone like that."

Meika blinked, frowning when she saw that despite his smile, Hakkai's eyes were sad. She reached out and hugged Hakkai. "It's okay, HaHa. I'm going to get really strong so you don't have to worry about me anymore. I'll even be able to protect you someday!" She smiled at the chuckle she received from Hakkai. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "So, please don't look sad like that anymore."

"MeiMei, Sanzo and Gojyo are picking on me!" Goku whined as he picked Meika up. "Make them stop!"

Hakkai chuckled as Meika began scolding Gojyo and Sanzo for teasing poor Goku. Had it been anyone else, Sanzo would've shoved the barrel of his gun down their throat. Instead, he simply rolled his eyes and hit Gojyo for teaching the child to be insubordinate.

Meika was happily curled up in Goku's lap, dozing lightly in and out of sleep. There wasn't much else to do here. She played with Goku's hands and stared up at the ceiling. "What a boring village." She sighed out.

"Hey, Sanzo, give me a cigarette." Gojyo said suddenly.

"No." Sanzo responded shortly. "You told me my cigarettes taste bad and that you don't want to ever smoke them."

Meika sighed as the two began fighting again. She looked up at Goku and blinked when she found him staring rather intently at her. "What's wrong, GoGo?"

Goku seemed to shake himself out of his stupor. "Ah…no…nothing." He sighed as he rested his chin on top of Meika's head. "Hey, MeiMei, have I gone crazy? I swear there's food right in front of me."

Meika turned her head slightly. "Nope. That's a real plate of pork buns." She reached out to take one and yelped when Sanzo whapped her hand. "That hurt!"

"Look around you." Sanzo said impatiently. "This is just another of his illusions."

Meika looked around. Indeed, there were people everywhere. They were drinking, eating, playing, and laughing. It seemed like this had been a very happy town before the Undertaker had appeared. "Why is he showing us this?" She received her answer when the Undertaker suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"Don't look." Hakkai said softly as he picked Meika up.

Meika obediently buried her face in Hakkai's neck. Even though she couldn't see what was going on, she could hear the screams of people dying all around them. "Make him stop! HaHa, make him stop!"

"Calm down." Hakkai soothed, rubbing Meika's back. "It's just an illusion. Though, one done in rather poor taste." After the illusion disappeared, Hakkai gently set Meika down on the ground.

Immediately, Meika ran over to Goku and buried her face in his side. "I really don't like it here. I wanna leave."

Goku knelt down and hugged Meika. He growled as he looked around to see if there were anymore illusions. "I'll never forgive a creep like that."

"I think it's time to end this tacky show." Sanzo said coolly, lighting one of his cigarettes.

Meika looked up at him. "How are we gonna do that, ZoZo?"

"He's not the only one that knows how to piss people off." Sanzo frowned when he saw Meika holding back a laugh. "Don't make me spank you."

* * *

"This is fun!" Meika squealed as she ran alongside the wall with a paintbrush, splattering red paint all over the wall. "I never got to do this back at the temple." She blinked as Hakkai suddenly picked her up.

Hakkai smiled down at her. "We need to work on your writing, Meika. Why don't' you write the nice youkai a letter on the wall?"

Meika tapped her chin thoughtfully with the paintbrush, getting red paint on her chin. Her eyes lit up as she began painting shaky strokes onto the wall. "You're…a…meanie…face…"

"Oh, that's beautiful, Meika." Hakkai chuckled as he put her down. "Why don't you go help Goku now?"

Obediently, Meika skipped over to Goku. She sat at his face and painted pretty flowers on the ground level while he wrote above her. "Is he really going to show up?"

"He'll come." Sanzo said confidently. "He's a neat freak after all."

"What are all of you doing?" The Undertaker shrieked as he appeared.

"Now, Meika," Hakkai smiled as he handed her a giant paint bucket. "I want you to run around here as fast as you can and throw this paint all over the walls."

Meika's eyes lit up. "You guys never let me do this at the temple! Can we stay here?"

Goku laughed as he took Meika's hand, his own paint bucket in the other. "Come on! Let's make this guy cry!"

Meika laughed gleefully as she, Goku, and Gojyo threw paint all over the walls. She didn't even care that most of it ended up on herself rather than the wall. She grinned as she heard the Undertaker wailing for them to stop. "That's what you get for being such a jerk!" She blinked as Gojyo suddenly picked her up. "JoJo?"

"It seems he's finally acting." Hakkai said.

Meika looked up and saw the coffins swirling around the Undertaker. She snarled at him. "You better get down here and fight us for real!"

"Meika," Hakkai motioned for Gojyo to put her down. "I want you to stay out of this fight." He held a hand up when he saw her about to protest. "He's already hurt you once. I won't let that happen again."

"Fine," Meika sighed out. "but after this, you have to teach me how to fight better!" At Hakkai's affirmative nod, Meika plopped down on the ground, muttering darkly under her breath. She watched as Gojyo attacked first, though the Undertaker managed to dodge every single one of them. She gasped as Gojyo was suddenly crushed by one of the coffins. "JoJo!"

"You bastard!" Goku yelled as he prepared to attack.

"You shouldn't bother." The Undertaker sneered. "Since I move so fast, you were going to try and move this fight into close quarters." He smirked at the surprised look on Goku's face. "I know everything you're thinking, every move you'll make, and what your future will be." He gasped as first, he was shot in the shoulder and then dirt was thrown in his face.

"You aren't supposed to be fighting." Sanzo said to Meika as he lowered his gun.

Meika panted but grinned. "But look, ZoZo, I made him really mad!" She couldn't believe how exhausted she was from just throwing some dirt.

"My clothes…my face…I'll kill you all!" The Undertaker screamed.

Hakkai quickly moved in front of Sanzo and Meika and put up a shield against the flying coffins. "Those coffins are certainly troublesome. They double as a projectile weapon and a shield."

"So, what should we do?" Meika asked. She yelped as Sanzo scooped her up under his arm and rushed the opposite way that Hakkai had went. She watched as Hakkai shot an energy ball at the youkai while Sanzo shot at him. She frowned when neither attack hit. "That didn't do much."

"Goku, Gojyo, get rid of those coffins!" Hakkai ordered.

"Hey, ZoZo, can I get rid of the tiny one?" Meika asked. "I don't like it."

Sanzo sighed irritably as he put her down. "If you faint, I'm not carrying you." He couldn't help but smirk at the excited squeal Meika let out as he put her down.

Meika knew this would be a tricky spell. She hadn't practiced it near as near as much as her tiny dragon attack. Since there was no water around, she had to pull the water from the air to form a decent sized water ball. She pulled her arm back as far as she could get it to go before hurling the water ball at the child coffin. "Take that!"

Goku whistled appreciatively as Meika's attack destroyed the coffin. "That was awesome, MeiMei! Now, it's my turn!" Goku smashed one of the coffins with his nyou-boi while Gojyo destroyed another.

The Undertaker shrieked when all the coffins were destroyed. "Don't come near me!" He attempted to run away but was stopped by Goku appearing in front of him.

"This is for taking all the food away!" Goku yelled as he punched the Undertaker in the face and sent him flying.

Gojyo leered down at the youkai as he attempted to scramble away. "This is for this no-smoking hellhole!" He punched the youkai as well and sent him flying over to Hakkai and Meika.

Hakkai smiled at how shakily Meika was standing on her feet. "Now, Meika, you know we aren't supposed to hold grudges against people, no matter how badly they treat us, right?" He said coolly as he took hold of one of the Undertakers arms and completely straightened it out. His smile never left his face as he snapped the youkai's arm.

"I know." Meika grinned. She was really tired from her last attack but she wanted to get back at the Undertaker before she passed out. She jumped and landed on his stomach before stomping off of him. "I'm not mad at him at all!"

The Undertaker weakly dragged himself to his feet as he attempted to run away as Sanzo began chanting. He screamed as Sanzo's attack hit him. "Homura-sama!"

Goku's eyes widened. "Did he just say Homura?" He blinked and turned around when he heard a thump behind him. "MeiMei!" He shrieked when he saw her collapse to the ground.

Hakkai smiled as he held Meika's head in his lap. "It's all right. She's just worn out."

"I told her I wouldn't carry her." Sanzo said firmly.

Goku gently scooped Meika off the ground and began carrying her out of the village with the rest of the group. He grinned down at her. "That was pretty amazing, MeiMei. You really are getting a lot stronger."

Meika smiled in her sleep and snuggled closer to Goku. "Mmhm…"


	32. Attacked

**Sakura02: Yeah, you know if you had to be licensed to have a child, they'd all fail and Meika would get taken away by CPS and then Sanzo would have to kill the person…it just wouldn't be pretty.**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: I'm not sure if it's that I'm building up to something or if it's just I'm in a mood to write more Meika/Goku moments :). I get like that sometimes but I'll try and put more even time between Meika and the four boys**

**White Arc Angel: Was it grammar errors or sentencing structure? Please let me know so that I can fix whatever it is that was killing the story for you. As for Meika's age, she's about six right now. When I write her, I'm trying to convey that she is very mature for her age, but at the same time is still a little girl. I'm still trying to work out the kinks of it so please bear with me!**

**Thank you: yoshi is the best green dino ever, SaiyukiSucker, i love athrun, mimi, sakura2112, KakashiisWifey, and FMASaiyukiFanatic for your reviews!**

* * *

"Meika, please don't lean over that far!" Hakkai looked worriedly over at Meika whom was leaning over the side of Hakuryuu to stare off the side of the mountain. "Gojyo, please grab her."

"But, we're really high up!" Meika grinned as she looked at the tall trees far below her. She pouted as Gojyo reached over Goku and pulled her into his lap. "You're no fun, JoJo."

Gojyo grinned and tapped her nose. "Sorry, Meika."

Goku sighed as he slouched down in his seat. "I'm so hungry…" He whined as his stomach growled.

Meika nodded her agreement, rubbing her stomach. "My stomach is going to reach my back pretty soon…"

Sanzo snorted. "Please, with the way you eat, I don't think you ever have to worry about wasting away." He groaned as Meika began shrieking at him.

"You just called me fat!" Meika whined. "You're the worst, ZoZo!"

"Yeah!" Goku piped in. "She's not fat! Her tummy is just a little round from her baby fat!"

"I don't have baby fat!" Meika yelled at Goku, promptly standing up from Gojyo's lap and pulling her dress up to reveal her flat tummy. "See?"

"Meika, please put your dress down!" Hakkai sighed as he carefully maneuvered Hakuryuu around another bend in the mountain.

Sanzo was growing more and more irritated with each passing moment. As he was about to pull out his gun to shoot someone, a large boulder fell from the top of the mountain and hurtled straight towards them.

Meika wasn't quite sure what all happened in the next few moments. She remembered suddenly being yanked from her spot in the back seat and into to someone's arms. From the smell of tobacco, she knew it was Sanzo. She clung to him tightly as the boulder hit them and sent them flying off the mountain road. She remembered rolling and falling and something hard hitting the side of her head before everything went black.

* * *

"Well, I suppose this means that the rockslide wasn't accidental."

A familiar, laughing voice reached Meika's ears. Slowly, she opened her eyes and all she saw was yellow. Meika crinkled her nose and batted the hair from her face. "ZoZo?"

Sanzo glanced over his shoulder as he shot off a few rounds and set off some mines. "So, you finally decided to wake up."

"What happened?" Meika asked sleepily. She looked around frantically when she realized it was only Sanzo and Hakkai with her. "Where are JoJo and GoGo? Why are there all these dangerous looking traps everywhere? Do people hunt big animals in this forest?"

Hakkai laughed as he took Meika off of Sanzo's back. He inspected the wrapped bandages around Meika's forehead and was satisfied when he saw no blood. "Don't worry, I'm sure Gojyo and Goku are fine. As for these traps, I believe someone doesn't particularly care for us."

"Well, that's just rude." Meika puffed her cheeks out as Hakkai sat her down on the ground. "They don't even know us so how can they know whether they like us or not? We could have been the best of friends!"

Sanzo rolled his eyes as he continued shooting his way through the mine field. "You want to be friends with these assholes?"

"No way!" Meika stomped her foot on the ground and threw a tiny water ball at one of the mines to emphasize her point. "Those jerks got us separated from GoGo and JoJo."

Hakkai chuckled as he patted Meika's head. "Leave the traps to us. We might need your powers later…" His eyes cut over to the side and he frowned. "…perhaps sooner than later…"

Meika blinked as both Sanzo and Hakkai stopped, keeping her sandwiched between the two of them. Before she could ask what was wrong, a heavy smoke screen filled the entire area. Meika could barely see a few feet in front of her. She yelped as somebody, she wasn't sure whether it was Hakkai or Sanzo, pushed her out of the way. "HaHa? ZoZo?" Meika called frantically as she heard someone cackling.

"Move, now!" Sanzo barked as he scooped Meika up under his arm and rushed off in the opposite direction of Hakkai.

"What about HaHa?" Meika asked, trying to crane her head to see Hakkai through the heavy smoke screen. She flinched as a pair of knives flew past her and Sanzo, barely missing their target. "What are we going to do, ZoZo?"

Sanzo crouched down in some bushes to catch his breath, making sure to keep Meika close at his side. "I don't suppose you can do any of your fancy magic right now."

Meika blushed as her stomach growled rather loudly. "Only if you want me fainting on you." She yelped as Sanzo once again scooped her up and began running away from their pursuer. She was able to see the person clearly for the first time. Her eyes widened when she saw the chakra on his forehead. "ZoZo, he's a god!"

"Thank you, Meika, I hadn't noticed that." Sanzo gritted out. "Why do you think I didn't shoot him with my youkai killing gun?"

"I was just trying to be helpful." Meika sulked. She looked up in time to see four tiny black balls roll in front of her and Sanzo. "ZoZo, those are…!"

Sanzo had just enough time to pull Meika close to his chest and turn his back to the explosion. He grunted as the blast knocked him to the ground. He rolled a few feet, making sure to cover as much of Meika as possible so she wouldn't be hurt. He winced as he sat up slowly, barely having time to dodge the knives that were thrown at them.

"ZoZo, there's two of them now." Meika said as Sanzo once again began running with her flung over his shoulder this time. "One's kind of pretty but he's the one with the scary laugh from earlier and the other has fuzzy eyebrows of doom! Oh, and he's bald…"

"Meika," Sanzo hissed out through clenched teeth. "I need you to be a quiet, good girl right now." He listened as their two pursuers began arguing about the best way to finish the job. "Fighting amongst themselves, huh…"

Meika blinked as Sanzo placed her on the ground and grabbed her hand. She stumbled as she attempted to keep up with Sanzo. "Do you have a plan, ZoZo?"

"Yeah." Sanzo said as he continued running. "It won't require much effort on our parts."

Before Meika could question Sanzo, a giant god leapt from the bushes and rushed towards them. She heard the sound of knives flying behind them. Meika looked frantically at Sanzo as his hand slipped from hers. Seeing what Sanzo was about to do, Meika allowed his hand to completely slip from hers. As Sanzo leapt over the giant god, Meika rolled to the side and out of the way of the incoming knives. She looked up in time to see the giant god fall to the ground, the knives landing centimeters from his face. Meika grinned as she scrambled up and rushed over to Sanzo.

Sanzo smirked down at her and ushered her behind him as he shot three oncoming explosives out of the air. He grabbed Meika's hand again and continued running. After a few moments, Sanzo stopped running and rested against a tree.

"Are you okay, ZoZo?" Meika asked as she clung to the front of Sanzo's robes. She was worried. She had no clue where Gojyo and Goku were and they had lost Hakkai. Right now, all she had was Sanzo.

"I'm fine." Sanzo sighed as he patted her head. He pulled out his pack of cigarettes, ignoring the way Meika wrinkled her nose. He frowned as he tried to light it but his lighter only flickered. "Damn things out of gas." He sighed as he tossed the unlit cigarette to the ground.

"Littering is bad, you know." Meika frowned. She peered over her shoulder when she saw Sanzo staring at something. She stiffened when she saw the blue haired god standing a few feet from them. Instinctively, Meika stood protectively in front of Sanzo, a rather large water ball twisting and turning in her palm.

"The little girl has a point." The pony tailed, knife throwing god sneered as he appeared to Sanzo's side.

Sanzo simply scoffed but attempted to nudge Meika behind him with his shoe. He frowned as the little girl stubbornly refused to budge. "Nice try but that used to be a part of nature so it doesn't count."

The giant god appeared to Sanzo's other side, cracking his knuckles. "I wonder how long you can keep that charade of courage up."

"There's no where for you or that little brat to run anymore." The bald god cackled as he appeared in front of the blue haired god.

"Hey! Only ZoZo can call me a brat!" Meika snarled out.

The blue haired god, whom seemed to be the leader, held up his hand to the bald god. "You have no way of winning, Genjo Sanzo. Hand over the Maten Kyomon and the girl quietly and surrender yourself."

Meika tilted her head to the side before looking up at Sanzo. "Hey, why do they want me?"

"How should I know? It's a mystery why anyone would want you." He smirked in satisfaction and the indignant look on Meika's face. "He turned his attention back to the gold. "I refuse, though I am sorely tempted to give you the brat."

The god laughed. "You must really want to join your friends."

Sanzo noticed the way Meika stiffened but ignored it the best he could. "I've never considered those morons my friends. You really think any of those stubborn idiots would die?" Sanzo muttered the last part so only Meika could hear him. He turned his attention back to the god when he saw Meika relax.

"Can't we just kill him and get the Maten Kyomon and the brat already?" The bald god groaned, pulling out more explosives.

The leader of the group held his hand up, ignoring the look of displeasure on the other god's face. "If you surrender quietly, we'll put in a good word with Homura for you. Perhaps he'll spare your life."

"Neither me nor the brat have any intention of being that guy's lap dogs like you four. Isn't that right, Meika?"

"Yeah!" Meika brought her hand up, the water ball swirling in front of her. "You guys better get out of here now before you get hurt!"

"You're just begging for your life to be shortened!" The knife wielding god snapped.

Sanzo looked at himself and at Meika. "Really? It seems we're still alive."

The giant god grinned as he hunched forward in an attack position. "Well, we'll just have to wipe that smirk off your face."

Meika glowered over at the god. She was so focused on him, she barely noticed the blur that leapt over the trees. She blinked as Sanzo placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You morons were asking me where the other morons were earlier, weren't you?" Sanzo sneered. "Tell me, do you know where Goku and the others are?"

Meika flinched as the knife wielding god threw a flurry of knives at them. She was preparing to launch her attack at him when a familiar brunette appeared in front of them. Her eyes lit up as she watched the person deal a quick blow to the god. "GoGo! You're okay!"

Goku grinned and barely had time to hold his arms out as Meika launched herself at him. He laughed as the little girl kissed him on the cheeks over and over. "Stop it, MeiMei! This is serious right now!"

Sanzo rolled his eyes as Goku walked over with Meika in his arms. "You're both morons."

The leader frowned but his hard gaze didn't falter. "We still outnumber you. You think that little girl is going to make any difference? As far as I'm concerned, this match is only 3-2."

"Well, that's rather rude." Hakkai laughed as Meika began waving frantically at him. "I'm sorry. Did I make you worry, Meika?"

"Yes!" Meika puffed her cheeks out. "You guys are all jerks! Where's JoJo?"

"He's dealing with their look out." Goku grinned at the startled look on the leader's face. "You better apologize to MeiMei. She could kick your ass any day."

"Was somebody picking on my baby girl?"

"JoJo!" Meika yelled with joy.

Hakkai laughed. "Well, it seems it is now 5-3. As Goku said, you shouldn't underestimate our little Meika."

Meika grinned for a moment before pouting again. "But, if you guys were all okay, why'd you make me and ZoZo run all over the place? I was really worried about all of you."

Hakkai laughed. "I'm sorry, Meika. I had to pretend to be dead so I could assess the situation."

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "What are you talking about? You barely ran. I had to carry you for most of the time."

"Well, that made up for your lack of exercise, didn't it?" Hakkai laughed again as Sanzo snarled at him.

Meika laughed before noticing the giant god rushing towards Hakkai. Meika rushed forward and placed herself between Hakkai and the god. "Can I beat him, HaHa?" At the affirmative nod she received from Hakkai, Meika summoned the giant water ball again and shot at the stampeding god. She grinned as the water engulfed the god before killing him. "Don't you jerks ever underestimate me again." She said, sticking her tongue out at the two remaining gods.

Hakkai laughed and patted her head. "I've taught you so well."

Sanzo rolled his eyes as the bald god attempted to run away. He shot his gun at the small pack of explosives at the god's side and smirked as it exploded and killed the god. "That's payback for making me run all over the place."

"But ZoZo, running will help you keep your figure." Meika blinked, not understanding why Gojyo, Goku, and Hakkai were all laughing while Sanzo looked like he wanted to murder someone. She skipped back over to Sanzo and Goku, grinning when the latter scooped her up.

Gojyo leered at the remaining god. "Looks like all your friends are gone."

"It's really scary when you make Sanzo mad, right, MeiMei." Goku grinned at the little girl in his arms.

"Yup." Meika shuddered, thinking of the one time Sanzo had ever spanked her when she had accidentally spilt tea onto his robes.

"You should probably just surrender." Hakkai added, his smile never leaving his face.

The god stared at Sanzo for a moment. "If we had really killed your friends, would you have accepted my earlier offer?"

Meika looked over at Sanzo, frowning as his impassive face gave nothing away.

"No." Sanzo finally said.

The god frowned before preparing to fight. "It doesn't matter. I'll kill all of you and take the Maten Kyomon and the girl back to Homura!"

Sanzo glanced at Goku, not needing to say anything to send the monkey after the god. He looked down at where Goku had put Meika. "Really, I don't understand why anyone would want to kidnap you."

Meika puffed her chest out. "It's because I'm cute. Right, JoJo?" She asked as the Gojyo walked over.

Gojyo grinned and ruffled her hair. "That damn monkey is having too much fun fighting that guy."

Meika nodded her head. She gasped as the god suddenly lowered his sword and allowed Goku to stab him. "Why would he let Goku kill him?"

The god smirked at the group. "I know when my time to die has come. In the Heavens, we never knew defeat…so why? Why is a ragtag group like you able to defeat us?"

"It's because of all the battles we survived." Gojyo answered plainly.

"The fact that we're alive." Hakkai smiled as he wrapped an arm around Meika and pulled the child to his side.

The god nodded thoughtfully. He looked over his shoulder at Meika and smiled. "I wonder…what Homura wants with you…Yanmei…"

Meika's eyes widened as the god disappeared, his death scream echoing briefly. Again, another god had called her by that strange name that she always heard in her dreams. She blushed as her stomach once again growled. "ZoZo, I'm hungry!"

"Me too!" Goku whined.

Sanzo felt another migraine coming on. He put his gun in the air and fired off a few rounds. "Both of you just shut up! We'll get to the next town when we get to it!" He rolled his eyes as Hakkai ushered the whining children back towards the path. He frowned as Gojyo came to stand beside him. "What?"

"You've noticed it too, right? How interested that creep is in Meika." Gojyo said.

Sanzo watched as Meika convinced Goku to carry her. He had seen the thoughtful look on her face after the god had called her that name. He knew there was more to her dreams and sleepless nights than she was telling the group. He blinked as she made eye contact with him and waved for him and Gojyo to catch up. "Yeah. Not that it matters. He won't lay a finger on her."


	33. Fireworks

**I'm so sorry I haven't updated the past few weeks. August is a rather crazy month for me with school starting, both Texas State and my school that I work at. On top of that, my sister and my wonderful cousin (who is like the big sister I never got) have their birthdays in August and it was my parents 25****th**** anniversary and I planned a surprise party for them. Updates should be more scheduled now but keep in mind that I do have a full course load which means lots of reading and studying so their may be some weeks where I don't update. Thank you for understanding!**

**Sakura02: I would never allow Meika-chan to be hurt! Well…not too much anyways**

**chaebin: Haha, no, that was a complete accident. I had actually forgotten about that woman until another reviewer pointed it out to me. I guess I just really like the name Yanmei.**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: Yes, you'd probably have to get a high powered microscope to find Sanzo's soft side…**

**SaiyukiSucker: Lol, I'll see what I can do about making you a Meika. **

**Thank you: White Arc Angel, DevilChile, KakashiisWifey, xenocanaan, jaevees, Angie, Princesa de la Luna, and sakura2112 for your reviews!**

* * *

"They're pretty…" Meika said softly. She was perched on the windowsill in their inn room while the boys played mahjong. Her face was pressed against the window as she watched the fireworks exploding outside.

Hakkai chuckled as he made his move. "This is the first time you've really seen fireworks, isn't it, Meika."

Goku laughed. "Yeah. When they used to have them at the temple, she'd hide under my bed 'cause she was scared."

"Shut up GoGo!" Meika whined, finally tearing her gaze away from the fireworks.

Gojyo smiled as he took a drag from his cigarette. He glanced at the little girl that was once again staring happily at the fireworks show. "It's been a while, though, hasn't it? Since we've gotten to relax like this…"

Meika, growing bored with the fireworks, hopped off the windowsill and skipped over to the group. She crawled into Hakkai's lap and wrinkled her nose at the ashtray piled high with discarded cigarettes. She really didn't see what the fuss was about with them. Looking around to make sure none of the others were looking, she picked up one of the cigarettes Gojyo had just put down to try and take a puff.

"No ma'am." Hakkai scolded as he swiped the cigarette from the startled girl. "These are for grown ups."

"Just wait." Meika huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "When I turn eighteen, I'm going to buy a pack of cigarettes and see what's so great about them."

"My baby is never going to turn eighteen." Gojyo said firmly. "You're going to stay this age forever."

Hakkai couldn't help but laugh as Meika vehemently protested. "But, Gojyo's right; it's been a while since we could relax like this. What with all the youkai and gods coming after us."

Meika tuned the boys out after that. It had been a long day on the road and Meika was rather tired. She nestled into Hakkai's chest and closed her eyes.

_"Tenpou, I'm bored." Yanmei sat atop a large stack of books, pouting down at the flustered Field Marshal. "Konzen locked me out of his office and I can't find Goku or Nataku anywhere. When's my daddy coming home?"_

_"He should be here any day now, Yanmei." Tenpou paused in his reorganizing to look up at Yanmei. He held his arms open and smiled as the little girl hopped into his arms. "So, you can't find Goku or Nataku anywhere?"_

_"No. Goku ran off with Nataku and said I couldn't come. They're being jerks even though it's my birthday and Daddy isn't here. This birthday is the worst." Yanmei pouted._

_Tenpou smiled as he carried the little girl out of his room. "Why don't we go for a walk, just the two of us."_

_Yanmei's eyes lit up. "Okay!"_

"Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." Hakkai smiled down at Meika as she blearily opened her eyes. "I'll be right back. I'm going to get some tea." He handed Meika over to Goku and went out of the room.

Goku grinned down at Meika. "What's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?"

Meika frowned as she rubbed her eyes. "No. Not really."

Sanzo sighed in frustration as he threw his stub of a cigarette into the ashtray. "I'm out cigarettes." He stood up from the table and walked towards the door.

Goku's eyes lit up. He rushed over to Sanzo, still holding Meika. "Are you going shopping? I wanna go to! You want to come, MeiMei?"

Meika, now more awake, wriggled out of Goku's arms and nodded. She obediently took Goku's outstretched hand and followed the grumpy priest and energetic monkey out into the night. She stared in awe around her at all the people bustling around the stalls selling various foods and material goods. She held tightly to Goku's hand for fear of getting separated from him and Sanzo in the large crowd. "ZoZo, where are we going?"

Sanzo simply ignored the little girl and made a beeline for the small convenience store. "Stay." He said to Meika and Goku while he went into the store to get his cigarettes.

Goku grinned down at Meika as he saw her staring at the small stand with the paper windmills spinning in the breeze. "Do you want one?"

Meika looked up at Goku and nodded, a sad pout on her face. "But, I spent all my allowance on those dumplings earlier. ZoZo won't give me anymore money until next month…" She blinked as Goku tugged her over to the stand. "GoGo?"

Goku continued grinning down at her as he fished what remained of his allowance out of his pocket. "Which one do you want?"

Meika's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "Don't spend your allowance on me, GoGo! What if you want extra food later on?"

"It's okay." Goku insisted as he handed the money to the store vendor. "I don't mind since it's for my MeiMei."

Meika grabbed Goku's hand and tugged on it until he knelt down. She gave him a peck on the cheek before picking a pretty yellow one. "Thank you, GoGo." She said as Goku took her hand and led her back over to the store where Sanzo was waiting impatiently.

Sanzo opened his mouth to chastise the two but sighed when he saw the perfectly happy look on Meika's face. "Let's go." He finally said as he shoved the brown paper bag into Goku's arms.

"Hey, Sanzo." Goku called as he juggled the bag in one hand and tugged Meika along with the other. He frowned as Sanzo ignored him. "Sanzo!"

"No." Sanzo said shortly.

"You don't even know what I was going to say." Goku pouted.

"If it's something stupid, I'll kill you." Sanzo said.

Meika backed away in time to avoid being smacked by the paper fan when Goku mentioned a ramen shop. She blinked as her back connected with someone. "I'm so sorry…" Her voice trailed off as she looked up at the person and noticed the chakra on his forehead. "ZoZo!"

Sanzo whipped around and barely had enough time to grab Meika and run for cover as the god pulled out a rather large looking gun. "This is ridiculous. Meika, stay here."

"But, I want to…" she stared after Sanzo's retreating back as he pulled his gun out. She couldn't see Goku but she could hear him shouting angrily at the god as he blew up the buildings around them. "…fight." She clutched her yellow paper windmill close to her chest.

"What a bad parent that Konzen is. Leaving poor Yanmei all alone." A chillingly familiar voice said from behind Meika.

"Well, he isn't Yanmei's father after all." A much calmer voice said.

Slowly, Meika turned around. Her breath caught in her throat and she took a step back when she saw Zenon and Shien standing behind her. She gasped when her back connected with someone's legs. She looked up into a pair of mismatched eyes. "Homura…"

Homura smiled down at the little girl and smoothed her hair down before putting his hand over her eyes. "Sleep now."

Meika couldn't help but to obey.

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**I know it's a little short. It's only the start of the second week of school and I have a ton of reading and homework to do. Please review and let me know your thoughts!**


	34. Defeated

**Hello again, everyone! UT won their first game of the season! Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the Dallas Cowboys :( hopefully they can pull it together for the next game.**

**Sakura02: I think Meika's going to steal all their cigarettes and flush them down the toilet :)**

**SaiyukiSucker: Aw, thank you :) I love reviewers like you that understand that we writers have a life outside of fanfiction. And yes, in his own creepy weird way, Homura is trying to be nice to little Meika.**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: Ah, but if it weren't for me, they wouldn't have their darling little girl so I'm sure they'll forgive me :) Especially since I will never allow any serious harm to befall little Meika**

**Thanks: HellzCrusader, Maharl100, sakura2112, White Arc Angel, lilithchild, and Princesa de la Luna for reviewing!**

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_"Tenpou, where are we going?" Yanmei whined, flailing her arms about in front of her. "I can't see!"_

_"Well, of course not." Tenpou chuckled, scooping the little goddess up. "If I wanted you to see, I wouldn't have put the blindfold on you."_

_Yanmei huffed. "Why can't I see?"_

_"It's a surprise." Tenpou answered. "Now, be a good girl and be quiet or I won't be able to let you see your surprise."_

_Yanmei pouted, but complied._

"Yanmei, it's time to wake up." A chilling voice cooed in Meika's ear.

"You bastard," Meika heard Goku shouting. "let MeiMei go! She's just a kid!"

Slowly, Meika willed herself to open her eyes. She looked about, unsure of her surroundings for a moment. Everything rushed back to her; the fireworks, going with Goku and Sanzo to get cigarettes, the gods attacking, Homura…she whipped her head around and found that Homura was holding her in his lap atop a roof with Zenon and Shien behind him. She struggled against his surprisingly strong grip. "Let me go."

"All in good time, Yanmei." Homura said patiently, patting her head. He smirked down at the group. "We didn't come to fight today; we merely wished to see you fight."

Even though he knew it would do no good, Sanzo cocked his gun at the god. "You got what you wanted, then. Give us the kid back and you can go on your merry way."

Homura sighed a shook his head. "You have all grown stronger, but you have to potential to grow even stronger. Especially you, Son Goku."

Goku blinked, taken aback for a moment. He quickly shook his head. "I don't care about what you think! Give me MeiMei back!"

"I said," Meika held her hand limply to the side, almost as though she were accepting her fate. The only indication that she was about to perform a spell was the ground below shot up, almost like a whip into her hand. "let me go!" She lashed out with the earth whip at Homura's face.

Homura dodged the attack easily enough, but dropped Meika in the process. He sighed as Meika fell from the roof. "That was a very foolish thing to do, Yanmei."

"Got ya!" Gojyo grinned as he slid forward and caught Meika in his arms. He quickly stood up and rushed back to the group. "Sanzo, what were you thinking, leaving her alone like that?"

Shien looked over to Zenon. "See? Kenren has much better parenting instincts when it comes to Yanmei."

"MeiMei, are you okay?" Goku asked, rushing over to Gojyo's side and taking the little girl. He nuzzled the side of her face. "I'm so sorry I left you like that! I won't ever do it again, I promise!"

"It's okay, GoGo." Meika patted Goku on the head.

Hakkai smiled up at the gods, already sliding into a battle stance. "I don't suppose the three of you would just leave peacefully now, would you?"

Shien stared down at Hakkai. "You aren't the type of people that would be satisfied with just fighting those weak fools."

Gojyo smirked, drawing his weapon. "Of course not."

Meika blinked as Goku put her on the ground, summoning his weapon. "GoGo?"

"MeiMei, stay here. I don't want you getting stolen again." Goku said firmly, about to launch an attack against Homura.

"No way!" Meika summoned her water sphere. "I'm not going to forgive him for kidnapping me and calling me that weird name!" She hated the name 'Yanmei'. It brought forth strange dreams for her, dreams that felt so familiar and warm, but painful and sad at the same time. She didn't like it one bit. "I wanna beat him up too!"

Gojyo wiped a fake tear away. "We've raised her so well."

Goku grinned at Meika. "Fine. Just follow my lead, okay?"

"Okay!" Meika returned the grin, allowing Goku to start off the attack. As soon as Goku had leapt onto the roof after Homura, Meika rushed around to the other side of the building, having to find a way back up onto the roof. She wasn't near as agile as Goku and the others. Eventually, she managed to scramble up onto some stacked boxes and hop up onto the roof.

Homura wasn't putting much effort into the fight. He dodged Goku's blows with ease. "Yanmei, don't do anything foolish." He moved to the side, avoiding Meika's water attack and sending the little girl tumbling into Goku. He looked down at her and Goku helped Meika to stand. "It's a shame you were never allowed to grow to your full potential, Yanmei. Don't worry, though; I'll help you achieve it in this life."

"Don't you talk to MeiMei!" Goku screamed as he launched yet another attack at Homura.

Meika stood on the roof, watching the one sided fight. She was waiting, waiting for Homura's back to once again be to her. She saw it! Another opening. She created another earth whip and struck at Homura's back.

Homura appeared again behind Meika, though he made no move to attack her. He smirked as she stumbled back over to Goku. "Son Goku, you're attacks are far too straightforward. You won't ever be able to defeat me like that." He looked at Meika and gave her a small smile. "You have improved with your magic, Yanmei. That's good. Continue do so."

"I told you to shut up!" Goku shouted as he rushed forward.

"GoGo!" Meika screamed as Homura punched Goku in the face and sent him flying across the top of the roof. She rushed over to him and knelt in front of him. "Are you okay, GoGo?" She gasped as Homura suddenly appeared behind her. Scrambling to her feet, Meika stood protectively in front of Goku, summoning another water sphere that she knew would do no good against Homura.

"Son Goku, you must come at me as though you are prepared to die." He glanced down at Meika, the little girl practically snarling at him. His arm shot out and he caught Meika by the front of her dress.

"MeiMei!" Goku shouted. Before he could even consider attacking Homura, the god kicked him with incredible force off of the roof.

"GoGo!" Meika screamed. She struggled in Homura's grasp, glaring at him hatefully. "Leave him alone! Leave everyone alone! Stop hurting my family!"

Homura held Meika away from him, watching her tiny legs kick out desperately. His eyes softened and he lowered Meika to the ground. "You haven't changed at all. You've always protected the four of them…you've always defended them, no matter what they did. Especially that father of yours."

Meika frowned, a question forming on her lips. She stopped when she heard a groan come from the ground below. "GoGo!" She leapt off the roof and was at Goku's side in an instant. She knelt beside him. "Are you okay, GoGo?"

Goku grimaced as he sat up, rubbing his sore stomach. He glanced over where Sanzo, Hakkai, and Gojyo were struggling to hold of Zenon and Shien. He looked at Meika, her eyes wide and afraid. Instinctively, his hand came up to his gold band.

"Don't." Meika reached out with both her hands and enclosed Goku's. She pulled it from his forehead. "Don't." She repeated. "I don't like it when you change…"

"MeiMei…"

Homura kneeled at the edge of the roof. "If you want any chance of winning, you really should remove that limiter."

Goku glanced at Homura and then at Meika's pleading face. He grinned at her. "I wasn't going to remove it." He said to her. He turned his attention to Homura, a scowl now on his face. "I refuse to remove it just to fight someone like you!"

Homura laughed good-naturedly. "Then, come at me with all you've got, Son Goku!"

"MeiMei, you stay here." Goku said as he crouched down. "I'm going to beat him up!"

"Okay…" Meika said softly. She knew Goku would win. He always found a way to win, no matter the odds. There was no way Homura was going to be able to dodge Goku's punch, no way… "Goku!" Meika shrieked as Homura caught Goku's wrist and then kicked him in the stomach. Goku was falling, falling to the ground. Meika rushed over to the spot where Goku had landed, gently putting his head into her lap. "Goku! Goku!" She screamed over and over, getting no response from the boy.

"Shien, Zenon, we're leaving." Homura said, watching as Meika began to cry. "He's alive, Yanmei. There's no need to cry."

Meika looked up at Homura, her eyes angry. "I hate you." She spat out. She was so upset, she barely noticed the look of honest hurt that crossed Homura's face. She was exhausted. Using so much magic had taken it's toll on her. She hated her weakness, hated that she couldn't protect her family.

Homura opened his clenched fist, a blue flower floating down to Meika. "You should rest now, Yanmei. Grow stronger, if you want to protect them."

Meika blinked as the flower touched her nose. A sudden wave of exhaustion fell over her. She tried to fight it, but she finally collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

_"Happy Birthday, Yanmei!" Goku was the first to rush forward as soon as Yanmei's blindfold had been removed. He hugged his friend tightly, a sheepish grin on his face. "Sorry we had to lie to you earlier. We wanted this to be a surprise."_

_Yanmei blinked slowly as she looked around. Tenpou had brought her to Konzen's office. It looked different, though. There were flowers everywhere, a table littered with all sorts of food and sweets, and another table filled to the brim with brightly wrapped boxes. Yanmei felt her eyes water. "You guys did this for me?"_

_"Hurry up and get this over with." Konzen snapped, standing in the corner. "I want my office back."_

_Yanmei giggled. She rushed over and hugged Konzen tightly. "Thank you, Konzen."_

_Konzen rolled his eyes and roughly patted Yanmei's head. "It wasn't my idea; it was those two."_

_Nataku yelped and turned nearly ten shades of red as Yanmei hugged him tightly. Cautiously, he hugged her back. "Happy Birthday, Yanmei."_

_Yanmei grinned as she released Nataku. "You and Goku are the best friends ever!" She frowned as she looked around to see who all was there. Konzen, Tenpou, Nataku, and Goku were there, of course. She could see the Merciful Goddess approaching the irritated Konzen. A few other gods she recognized were milling around as well. She smiled when she saw Homura standing in a corner by himself, looking around almost nervously. She sighed when she realized the person she was looking for wasn't there. "Daddy…"_

_"Where's my little princess?"_

_"Daddy!" Yanmei shrieked, rushing over to the general. She leapt into his arms and hugged him, planting kisses all over his face. "I missed you so much, Daddy! What took you so long?"_

_Kenren grinned at his daughter and kissed her forehead. "Sorry, Sweetie. You know how uptight the higher ups are. Don't worry, though. I won't have to leave for a long time."_

_"You're going to stay with me now?" Yanmei asked, clinging tightly to her father._

_"Yes." Kenren smiled at his daughter again. "Happy Birthday, Yanmei."_

Meika opened her eyes slowly, the dream fresh in her mind. Someone was carrying her. She looked up, making out long red hair, the familiar smell of cigarettes hitting her nose. "Daddy…?" The man carrying her certainly reminded her of the man in her dreams.

Gojyo smiled down at Meika. "Hi, Sweetie. How are you feeling?"

"Okay." Meika said softly. She snapped out of her sleepy state, looking around frantically. "Where's GoGo? Is he okay?"

Gojyo sighed as Meika wriggled out of his arms. "He's in the room resting." He led the little girl back to their inn room where Goku was still unconscious on the bed.

"GoGo!" Meika rushed over to the bed, upset at the bandages on Goku. She climbed into the bed with him and gently snuggled against his side. "Is he going to be okay?" She asked Hakkai.

Hakkai smiled reassuringly at Meika. "Yes. He just needs to rest."

Goku sat up at that moment, looking around for an unseen enemy. "What…? Where am I?"

"The inn. You should rest, Goku." Hakkai said patiently.

"GoGo!" Meika hugged Goku gently around his waist.

Goku absently hugged her back. "That's right; I lost…"

Gojyo glanced at Goku out of the corner of his eye. "More like he whipped you real good, you loser monkey."

Meika frowned as Goku and Gojyo began arguing back and forth. "Please stop." She pleaded. "It wasn't just GoGo that lost." She added softly.

Sanzo stared out the window, a lit cigarette in his hand. "She's right. We were all completely at their mercy."

Goku looked at Sanzo's clearly irritated face and Meika's upset on. He reached out and hugged Meika tightly, startling the little girl. "I've decided. I don't care how strong he is, I'm going to beat him the next time we see him."

Meika's eyes lit up and she nodded enthusiastically, relieved that Goku was no longer sulking. "You can do it, GoGo!"

Gojyo chuckled. "Well, you better rest up then, stupid monkey."

"You know, I did see a rather nice looking Chinese restaurant on our way back." Hakkai cut in before Gojyo could start another fight with Goku.

Goku's eyes lit up. "Really? Now that you mention it, I'm really hungry!" He leapt up from the bed and rushed towards the door.

Gojyo rolled his eyes and Sanzo ran after Goku to yell at him while Hakkai followed to try and diffuse the fight. He glanced over at Meika, the little girl still sitting on the bed. He frowned at the troubled look on Meika's face. "What's wrong?" He asked, going over and picking Meika up.

Meika blinked from her stupor and quickly shook her head. She smiled brightly at Gojyo. "Nothing. I'm just glad everyone's okay."

Gojyo nodded, deciding not to press Meika any further. She would talk to him when she wanted to. Until then, it would be pointless to try and get the stubborn girl to tell him the truth. Something was bothering him, though. "Hey, Meika, why'd you call me daddy when you woke up?"

"Oh," Meika racked her brain for an answer. "I just had a weird dream."


	35. Red

**Sorry about my disappearing act. Things have been a bit hectic at school as it is and for some reason, everyone needs a babysitter in October…I hope you will all forgive me for my absence!**

**Sakura02: I think Sanzo is really going to have to buy Meika a leash.**

**Thank you: H-Dawg-luvs-anime, i love athrun, White Arc Angel, FMASaiyukiFanatic, xXxScarletxXxSakuraxXx, and Princesa de la Luna for your reviews!**

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Meika sighed as Hakkai once again had to stop Jeep due to another dead end. "We're lost." She mumbled, glancing nervously around the misty forest. She scooted closer to Gojyo, burying her face in his side and clinging tightly to him.

Gojyo smiled and wrapped a protective arm around Meika. "What's the plan, Hakkai?"

Hakkai frowned as he stared blankly at the map. "We should've been able to get out of here in just an hour or two…"

"I'm hungry." Goku whined.

Sanzo glared over his shoulder at Goku. "We've got no other choice; we're going to have to camp out tonight."

Meika blinked as Gojyo suddenly hopped out of Jeep. "Where're you going JoJo?"

Gojyo waved back at the group. "I'm going to find a way out of this forest. I can't sleep unless I have a beautiful woman by me."

"What about me?" Meika asked, climbing out of Jeep and running after Gojyo. "I thought you said I was beautiful."

"You don't wanna sleep by Gojyo, MeiMei." Goku whispered as he ran to catch up with the two. "He's got cooties."

"Shut up, Goku!" Gojyo snapped. He blinked when Meika took his hand and held it.

"I don't think you have cooties, JoJo." Meika said with a bright smile on her face. A frown suddenly marred her face. "But, I think those women you always hang out with have cooties. They always look icky."

Gojyo couldn't help but to laugh. He scooped Meika up in his arms and rubbed his nose against hers. "Don't worry; I love you more than I'll ever love any of those other women."

Goku rolled his eyes and made a gagging noise but said nothing. The trio walked further into the woods and away from Hakkai and Sanzo. Goku eventually began wandering off in search of food while Gojyo paused to take a cigarette break.

Meika crinkled her nose as Gojyo lit his cigarette. She sat by Gojyo's feet and stared out into the mist. "GoGo, did you find anything!"

"I think I smelled food over this way!" His voice called though neither Gojyo or Meika could see him.

"We aren't looking for food!" Gojyo snapped. "We're looking for an exit!"

"But I can't look on an empty stomach!" Goku whined, his voice further away.

Meika glanced over to her side and blinked. She stood up and silently slipped away from Gojyo's side, going only a few feet away to what looked like an old stone tunnel where a beautiful blanket of red flowers lay in front of the entrance. She smiled and picked a few, holding them up to her hair and giggling.

"Oi, Meika, don't run off like that!" Gojyo snapped, more concern in his voice than anger. "It's hard enough to see a few inches in this fog. You might've gotten lost."

"Sorry, JoJo." Meika quickly put the small bouquet of flowers behind her back and skipped over to Gojyo. "Look what I found! Aren't they pretty? They match my hair and eyes…and yours too!" She blinked as Gojyo's fist suddenly tightened. "What's wrong, JoJo?"

Gojyo said nothing as he knelt in front of Meika. He took one of the red flowers and stared at it silently.

"JoJo? What's wrong?" Meika repeated. "You don't like them?"

"I…don't really like this color." Gojyo said lamely.

Meika frowned. "But it's the same color as our hair and eyes. If you don't like this color, then why do you always tell me I'm pretty? Why would you lie to me, JoJo?"

Gojyo quickly hugged Meika. "No, baby girl, you are beautiful. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. These flowers just bring back unpleasant memories for me is all."

"Because of that woman?" Meika asked. "The one that tried to hurt you?" She hugged Gojyo around his neck. "I think you're beautiful too, JoJo, no matter what that mean lady says."

Before Gojyo could respond, rain began pouring from the sky. He scooped Meika up and rushed into the safety the tunnel provided. He tried in vain to wipe some of the rain from Meika's face. He sighed. "I hope you don't catch a cold." He straightened as he felt a breeze come from the back of the tunnel. He shifted Meika into one arm and held his lighter up in front for light. "You up for some exploring, Meika?"

Meika nodded, wrapping her arms around Gojyo's neck. She tried her best to suppress her shivering. "Do you think it's a way out of the forest?"

"Who knows." Gojyo muttered. "We'll find out soon enough."

"Wait!" Meika jumped out of Gojyo's arms and ran to the mouth of the tunnel. "GoGo, we found a tunnel! Get over here, quick!"

"Stupid monkey with a stomach for a brain, answer us!" Gojyo shouted as well. He frowned when they got no response. "I guess he can't hear us. Come on."

"We're just going to leave GoGo out there?" Meika asked as Gojyo took her hand and led her into the tunnel.

"He'll be fine. I doubt there's anything in these woods that would hurt him." Gojyo answered, squeezing Meika's hand.

"It's dark down here." Meika whispered after they had been walking for a while. She scooted closer to Gojyo's side and clutched his hand tightly.

Gojyo picked her up and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry. I won't let you get lost." He frowned as they came upon a fork in the tunnel. "Which way to go…left or right?" He managed to fish a coin out of his pocket and held it up to Meika. "Heads: right, tails: left. Kiss it for good luck."

Meika blinked but did as Gojyo asked her. She watched the coin spin through the air before landing on the ground. "Tails." She said.

Gojyo nodded, bending down to pick up the coin before hesitating. "That's our marker, in case the left tunnel is the wrong one. If we get separated, I want you to find this coin, okay?"

Meika nodded, her grip once again tightening on Gojyo. They walked down the left tunnel for a while before coming to yet another fork. Gojyo flipped a coin again before they resumed on. This happened quite a few more times and Meika was growing rather sleepy. She yawned and rested her head on Gojyo's shoulder before falling asleep.

* * *

She was standing beside a much younger Gojyo. His face was unusually bright and cheerful as he held a beautiful bouquet of red flowers up to a rather raggedy looking woman. Meika recognized the woman as the one that always tried to hurt Gojyo.

"Mother, the florist told me these were for you." Gojyo said excitedly as he smiled up at the woman.

Meika's eyes widened. She had never realized the woman was Gojyo's mother. She screamed as the woman slapped the flowers from Gojyo's hands and began ruthlessly beating the poor boy. "Stop it! Leave him alone! Stop hurting him!"

"Mother that's enough!" A younger looking Dokugakuji rushed over and pulled the woman away from Gojyo. "Gojyo, go to your room."

Gojyo stood there dumbfounded as his older brother led his sobbing mother into the other room.

"Oi, Meika, wake up. Are you having another nightmare?"

Meika blinked, looking up at Gojyo. Tears immediately filled her eyes and she hugged Gojyo tightly. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

"What's wrong with her?"

Meika glanced over at her side, her eyes widening when she saw who was walking beside them. "Doku-san! Are you really JoJo's big brother? Why didn't you guys ever tell me?"

Gojyo frowned, ignoring the shocked look on Dokugakuji's face. "Meika, did you have another nightmare?" He repeated.

"Yes, but it was about you this time instead of HaHa." Meika answered softly. "I never knew the woman that tried to hurt you was your mother…"

"That's enough." Gojyo said shortly. He sighed at the shocked and hurt look that flashed across Meika's face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you." He glanced over at Dokugakuji. "I never would have thought you guys would get lost in the same forest as us."

Dokugakuji frowned at his little brother, his flashlight illuminating the way. "Believe me, if it weren't for the circumstances, I'd report this to Kougaiji right away and…"

"What's wrong, Doku-san?" Meika asked as the youkai glared at an 'x' on the wall.

"I made that mark." Dokugakuji muttered. "There's no doubt now; there's a barrier set up in this place."

Meika looked frantically around. "So, we're stuck in here? I'm never gonna get to see GoGo and ZoZo and HaHa and Kou-san and Yaone-san ever again!" She began crying.

"Hey, now, don't cry." Gojyo soothed. He glared over at Dokugakuji. "Are you sure you guys didn't set up the barrier?"

Dokugakuji scoffed. "Please. If we had, it wouldn't just be us three in here." He sighed as he fished around in his pocket. "And I thought I was so lucky to find all this change."

Gojyo's eyes narrowed and he placed the still crying Meika on the ground. "That's my money!"

"You got proof?" Dokugakuji grinned as he held the change high above his head while Gojyo tried in vain to snatch it from him.

Meika stopped her crying and giggled. "You two really are brothers."

Both Dokugakuji and Gojyo stopped their game and stared at each other for a moment. Dokugakuji lowered his hand. "I suppose you're too old now to lecture on wasting your money."

"No, he still wastes his money." Meika argued as Dokugakuji dropped the money to the ground, forcing Gojyo to search for it. "He spends it all on cigarettes, beer, and icky women."

Dokugakuji couldn't help but to chuckle. "Does he now? I certainly hope you grow up with a better sense of money than he does."

Meika nodded her head. "I already know how to save my own money and still get stuff!"

"Oh? And how would you do that?" Dokugakuji asked.

"I cry until ZoZo gets so annoyed that he buys it for me so I'll be quiet." Meika answered, a grin on her face.

Both Dokugakuji and Gojyo howled with laughter. "That's certainly one way." Dokugakuji said, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. He looked down where Gojyo was still trying to find his last coin, Meika now helping him as well. "Hey, Gojyo, if all this fighting ends soon…"

"I found something!" Meika shouted suddenly. She pointed to a piece of paper with writing wedged into a small crack in the floor.

"A talisman." Gojyo said as Dokugakuji shined his flashlight onto it. "So, that's what this barrier is made out of." He rolled his eyes as he began pulling the talisman out.

"Wait, Gojyo!" Dokugakuji shouted in alarm.

Meika yelped as the tunnel around them began shaking violently. She reached out and grabbed the thing closest to her; Dokugakuji's leg. "What's happening?"

"You fool. I can't believe you would hasten your own death." A voice sneered at them.

"Who are you?" Gojyo snapped, not liking how Meika was once again crying and clinging to Dokugakuji.

"I'm Yousui. I'll be the one to lead you to the world beyond." The voice answered.

"I don't like you, Yousui!" Meika shouted.

Dokugakuji placed a comforting hand on Meika's shoulder. "It'll be all right." He whispered to the little girl. He looked around. "Are you one of Homura's underlings?" He shouted.

"I suppose that's what I am to you." Yousui answered.

"Get out here, you coward!" Gojyo shouted.

Yousui scoffed. "What kind of idiot would actually come out when I can kill you without having to trouble myself. I hope you've all said your prayers now."

"I haven't!" Meika shouted. She screamed as the roof of the tunnel began cracking, a large chunk of stone coming down towards them. She blinked as Dokugakuji picked her up, shielding her tiny body with his much larger one.

"Just close your eyes." He told her softly.

Meika nodded and did as she was told. She felt the impact of the stone on the floor and suddenly, she was falling. She bit back another scream and clung tightly to Dokugakuji's shirt, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She let out a small 'oomph' as they landed on the floor below. Cautiously, Meika opened her eyes and looked around, finding she was sitting on top of Dokugakuji. "Are you okay, Doku-san?"

Dokugakuji grinned and sat up. "I'm fine."

"Good." Meika climbed off of him and rushed over to Gojyo whom was just sitting up. "Are you okay, JoJo?"

Gojyo nodded. "I'm fine."

"You're way too careless." Dokugakuji snapped at Gojyo. "That talisman was just asking to be peeled off. It was an obvious trap."

Gojyo shrugged nonchalantly, ignoring the worried look on Meika's face. "I'm just the kind of guy that likes to strip things, whether they'll talismans or women."

"You're such a brat." Dokugakuji scoffed.

"We were all brats once." Gojyo snapped back.

Dokugakuji rolled his eyes. "Smartass."

"Please don't fight, guys." Meika whispered. "We've gotta find a way out of here and you two fighting won't help anything."

Dokugakuji looked at Meika's pleading face for a moment before sighing. "Right, sorry." He knelt down to pick up his flashlight and flinched, clutching his arm.

"Are you okay, Doku-san?" Meika asked, alarm written on her face. She frowned as she went over to him. "You got hurt 'cause you were protecting me, didn't you."

Dokugakuji smiled at her. "Don't worry about it. It's not that serious."

Gojyo rolled his eyes and pulled his headband off. He went over and wrapped his headband around Dokugakuji's injured arm.

"That used to be my job." Dokugakuji muttered.

Meika hid her smile as she watched the two brothers. "You two are funny." She blinked as the ground began shaking again. "Um…JoJo…why are the walls moving closer?"

"This is not good." Gojyo hissed. He pulled out his weapon and attempted to wedge it into the ground and against one of the oncoming walls while Dokugakuji began knocking on the other.

"We're gonna get turned into a youkai sandwich!" Meika wailed.

"Nobody's going to open a door for you!" Gojyo snapped at Dokugakuji, irritated that his brother was simply knocking on the wall.

"Quiet." Dokugakuji hissed. "Every artificially made structure has a weakness."

Meika clung tightly to Gojyo's leg while Dokugakuji continued looking for the wall's weakness. She glanced around warily as the walls drew closer. "Are we gonna die, JoJo?" She whispered.

Gojyo grinned reassuringly down at her. "Nah. Dokugakuji won't let that happen. He likes doing the big brother act."

"Found it!" Dokugakuji pointed at the spot in the wall.

"About time." Gojyo smashed a hole into the weak spot. He quickly pushed Meika in before following after her, Dokugakuji right behind him. They crawled through the small tunnel until it widened enough where they could all walk.

Meika stayed a few steps behind while Gojyo and Dokugakuji knocked another wall down. She cautiously peered out of the hole. "I don't think we're in the tunnel anymore."

Dokugakuji nodded, staring warily around the corridor they had exited into. He frowned down at the floor. "I think this is sloped…"

Meika heard the water before she saw it. She looked back just as a huge wave of water crashed down over the three of them. She struggled against the strong current, trying desperately to come back up for air. She couldn't swim in this strong of a current. She felt strong arms grab her and pull her up.

"You okay?" Gojyo asked as he held a violently coughing Meika.

"I don't like swimming." She said weakly. She yelped as they suddenly fell down a hole where the water was filling up. She looked around as the water continued rising around them. "So, what now?"

Her answer came in the form of a rather disgusting looking worm like creature. "I don't wanna get eaten!" She wailed.

Dokugakuji sliced the beast in half but before he could even celebrate, the monster put itself back together. "That's not good…"

"Let me try." Meika said. She used the water around her to create a giant sphere of water. She shot the sphere at the creature and grinned as it was smashed against the opposite wall. Her grin disappeared as the creature peeled itself from the wall and charged at them. "Doku-san!" She screamed as the creature wrapped around him tightly while another one appeared to throw Gojyo against a wall, taking her with him since she hadn't released her hold on Gojyo since the water had swept them away.

Dokugakuji managed to rip the monster that held him into tiny pieces. He swam over to Gojyo and Meika, his sword raised. He gasped as Gojyo suddenly wrapped his chain around Dokugakuji's neck.

"JoJo, what are you doing?" Meika screamed, her legs kicking feebly in the water as she continued to hold onto Gojyo.

"Think about it, Meika." Gojyo said. "He and his group have always been our enemies. We may as well settle the score now since we're all going to die anyways." He glanced at Meika, giving her a meaningful look.

Meika's eyes widened and she quickly nodded her head. She reached out and grabbed onto one of the cracks in the wall to keep herself from sinking. She watched as Dokugakuji struggled out of Gojyo's grip before stabbing Gojyo with his sword. "JoJo!" She screamed as Gojyo sank to the bottom.

"I'll deal with you later." Dokugakuji hissed at her, turning his attention to the two monsters charging at him.

Meika watched as Dokugakuji fought against the two creatures. She knew the one watching them wouldn't notice, too wrapped up in the joy of watching Dokugakuji struggle for his life, that Dokugakuji wasn't allowing either of the creatures to come near the wall that Meika was desperately clinging to.

After a moment, the creatures suddenly disappeared. Meika's head was only inches from hitting the ceiling by this point. "Doku-san, where are you?" She wailed.

Dokugakuji's head came out of the water and he grabbed Meika from the wall. "Meika, you've got to hold your breath. Gojyo will come back, I promise."

"I'm scared, Doku-san." She sniffled out. "I don't wanna drown."

Dokugakuji smiled at her. "Gojyo won't let that happen. Now, take a deep breath."

Meika did so just as the water enveloped her head. She clung tightly to Dokugakuji as they floated to the bottom of the room. She hesitantly opened her eyes and looked around. Being under water was rather strange to her. She saw someone a few feet off. She tugged on Dokugakuji's hair and pointed.

Dokugakuji nodded, swimming over to none other than Gojyo. He grabbed his brother's hair and smiled as Gojyo whipped around, alarmed.

Meika's vision was tunneling. She couldn't hold her breath any longer…

"Who are you?"

Meika looked around and found herself in the house she always saw when she dreamed about Gojyo. She glared up at the woman standing before her. "I'm Meika. You're the bad woman that hurt my JoJo."

The woman snarled down at her. "What do you know? He wasn't my son. He was the bastard child of that woman that stole my husband from me! Why should I care for something that isn't my own!"

"Shut up!" Meika yelled at the woman. "JoJo loved you! All he ever wanted was for you to love him back and be his mommy! It doesn't matter that he isn't yours by blood; he always thought of you as his mommy! I'm not JoJo's by blood but he still loves me and takes care of me! He tells me that I'm pretty even though I'm a half-breed. Someone as horrible as you…you don't deserve JoJo's love!"

"You…" The woman snarled.

"Meika, wake up."

Slowly, Meika opened her eyes. She smiled when she saw Gojyo. "Am I dead?"

"Nah, I saved you and this bastard." He motioned to Dokugakuji whom was leaning heavily against his little brother's side. Gojyo frowned as they stepped out of the tunnel, the red flowers once again before him. "I've always hated red flowers. Nothing good ever comes of them."

Dokugakuji chuckled. "I've always rather liked red flowers."

Meika frowned and pulled on Gojyo's cheek. "Then why'd you name me 'Meika'? You always told me that meant precious flower and I have red hair and red eyes. So, I'm like a red flower." Meika tapped her chin thoughtfully, ignoring the bemused look on Gojyo's face. Her eyes suddenly lit up and she grinned up at Gojyo. "Since I'm a red flower, I'll make you change your mind about red flowers. I'll show you that they can bring good things and be very pretty!"

Gojyo smiled and he pinched Meika's nose. "You've always brought nothing but good things."

Meika crinkled her nose before smiling. "I don't think ZoZo would agree with you." She perked as she heard Hakkai and Goku calling for them. "We're over here!" She shouted.

Dokugakuji smiled and unwrapped Gojyo's bandana from around his arm. "I'll withdraw for today." He blinked as Meika reached out to hug him. He smiled and took her from Gojyo. "You take good care of him, okay?"

Meika nodded. "I will, Doku-san!"

"And, if he ever is too mean to you, you can come live with my group." Dokugakuji laughed as Meika's cheeks flushed red. He knew she was thinking about Kougaiji.

"No way!" Gojyo shouted, taking Meika from Dokugakuji and storming off. "I'll never allow that!"

Meika laughed as Dokugakuji disappeared and Sanzo and the others came into view. "Don't worry, JoJo. I won't ever leave you guys."

Gojyo smiled down at her. "I know."


	36. Monkey Wine

**I hope you all had an amazing Halloween! I'm so excited for the Walking Dead series that just started on AMC :)**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: The thought of Gojyo and Sanzo hugging and singing is one of the most hilarious, yet terrifying images I think I've ever imagined.**

**Princes de la Luna: Meika's mother has not yet been revealed and I'm really not sure if she ever will be or not…**

**Sakura02: They didn't show any blood even though there probably should have been some…**

**Thanks: CBarbie92, mimi, Mako-clb, and White Arc Angel for reviewing!**

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Meika yawned, slowly sitting up in the back of Jeep. She looked around, frowning when she saw no one was around. Poking her head up over the edge, she saw Sanzo shoot a youkai with his banishing gun. "Aw, why didn't you guys wake me up? I wanted to fight."

Hakkai smiled as he came over and smoothed Meika's disheveled hair down. "Sorry. You finally fell asleep and we didn't want to disturb you. Did you have a good nap?"

"Yeah." She blinked as Goku suddenly began sniffing the air. "What's wrong, Goku?"

Goku followed his nose over to a tree. "Something smells really good in here…Hey!" He yelped as Gojyo shoved him out of the way.

Meika hopped out of Jeep and ran over to Gojyo's side. "What's wrong, JoJo?"

Gojyo grinned, scooping Meika up and spinning her around. "It's sake! First rate, wonderful, sake!"

Meika blinked as Gojyo put her down and began rummaging around Jeep, looking for something. The last time she had seen Gojyo so excited about something was when he found a really pretty woman. "HaHa, is sake really that good?"

Hakkai chuckled as he helped Meika back into Jeep. "When you get older, I'll let you have some and you can see for yourself."

Meika's eyes lit up as everyone once again piled into Jeep, Gojyo happily clutching a thermos full of sake to his chest. "Really, HaHa?"

"Yes, when you're 38." Hakkai laughed as Meika let out a wail of despair.

Goku patted Meika's head sympathetically. "So, why was there sake in the tree anyway?" Goku asked as Meika crawled into his lap, the little girl still pouting.

"It was probably the monkeys." Hakkai answered.

Goku glared at the back of Hakkai's head. "I didn't do anything!"

Gojyo let out a howl of laughter. "You just admitted to being a monkey. Hakkai wasn't talking about you, he was talking about real monkeys."

Meika looked out into the line of trees and began tugging on Goku's sleeve excitedly. "Look at all the monkeys! They're so cute! ZoZo, I want one for a pet!"

"Absolutely not." Sanzo said firmly.

"Please? Please? Please?" Meika whined, hanging halfway over the front seat, rounding her eyes as much as she possibly could.

Sanzo glared at her, yanking Meika into the front seat between him and Hakkai. "No. You already have a pet monkey. Be grateful I let you keep that one." He rolled his eyes as Gojyo and Goku once again began arguing with each other. "Taking what belongs to stupid monkeys and drinking it, you're worse than an animal."

Gojyo stopped fighting with Goku long enough to grin eerily at Sanzo. "Really? Why don't you try some before you complain?"

"I still don' think it's fair that I can't have any." Meika pouted as Sanzo traded places with Goku.

"Trust me, Meika," Hakkai said patiently. "you wouldn't like it."

Gojyo grinned as Sanzo took a sip of the sake. "Now whose worse than an animal?"

Sanzo rolled his eyes, continuing to drink. "I'm just drinking your sake, Moron. I'm not the one that stole it form the monkeys."

"Let me try some." Goku whined, reaching for the thermos.

"No." Sanzo said firmly. "Brats shouldn't drink."

"I'm not a brat!" Meika poked her head over the edge of the seat. "Can I try some?"

"I said no!" Sanzo shouted, smacking Gojyo upside the head with his fan.

"What the hell?" Gojyo shouted.

Sanzo sighed irritably, poking Meika in the nose with the edge of his fan. "Listen, Brat. Drinking sake is like sake itself. You can't appreciate it until both your body and soul have matured. If you force yourself to drink it and your body isn't mature, it'll eat away at your body. If your soul isn't mature, it will eat away at your soul. Sake that eats away at you will only taste bitter." His eyes suddenly seemed to lose focus as he stared blankly up at the sky.

"ZoZo?" Meika crawled into the back seat, looking intently up at Sanzo's face. She realized then that he was thinking of his master long since dead. She enjoyed the times when Sanzo's master would visit her in her dreams and talk to her. He seemed like a nice man and very fond of Sanzo. She blinked out of her own reverie as Goku leaned over to try and take the cup from Sanzo.

"I told you no!" Sanzo snapped, smacking Goku upside his head. "I'll drink it all myself before I let you have any!"

"Hey!" Gojyo yelped as Sanzo stole the thermos from him and began chugging it down.

"Please leave me some, Sanzo." Hakkai asked cheerfully.

Meika giggled as Sanzo continued drinking. The rest of the ride was fairly uneventful save for Gojyo whining about Sanzo hogging all the sake. She really wished she could try some but she really didn't think it would be a good idea to push her luck with Sanzo. He was definitely more irritable when he had alcohol in his system.

"Look!" Goku crowed excitedly as they pulled up to a large town. He hopped out of Jeep. "Hurry up! I'm hungry!"

"Wait for me, GoGo!" Meika hopped out as well and rushed over to Goku. She grabbed his hand and chastised him for running off from the group. She looked over her shoulder to call the others over and blinked. "GoGo, did that monkey follow us?"

Goku looked into the tree that Meika was pointing to and frowned. "What monkey?"

"There was a monkey there just a minute ago." Meika frowned as well as Hakkai and the others walked over. She shrugged it off, deciding it wasn't worth worrying over. She took Goku's hand and allowed him to drag her off ahead of the group.

Goku perked up as a man up ahead was shouting excitedly. "Guys, there's something interesting happening over here!"

Hakkai went up to one of the men in the gathered crowd, smiling politely. "What's going on?"

The man grinned. "The new tavern just opened up and they're hosting a drinking contest. The winner gets a years supply of sake."

"Can we play, ZoZo?" Meika asked excitedly, tugging on the priest's robes.

"No." Sanzo said firmly, ignoring Gojyo's wail of despair. "The wine for the contest and prize are probably cheap and no good."

"Yeah, it's probably best that you children don't play." A guy stepped forward with two others flanking him. "We, the Fei Brothers, are going to win."

Sanzo rolled his eyes, prying Meika off of his robe. "I just said that I don't like cheap wine."

One of the men sneered at Sanzo. "Those that know they can't do it, always have excuses from the beginning."

Meika sighed as not only Sanzo, but Gojyo and Hakkai were bristling at the challenge. "This is going to be so boring. I can't play."

The leader of the group scoffed. "Really, how could a bunch of womanly men like you three possibly expect to win."

"ZoZo's going to kill you." Meika sang as Sanzo tensed up and stormed over to the sign up booth. "He's going to do something stupid, isn't he, HaHa."

Hakkai sighed as Sanzo pulled out his gold card. "I believe so."

"Hey, what'd I miss?" Goku asked, coming over with a bagful of bread. He handed a piece to Meika, grinning at her squeal of excitement.

Meika happily gulped down the bread before turning back to Goku. "ZoZo, HaHa, and JoJo are going to beat those idiots in a drinking contest." She shuddered as she swore she felt eyes glaring at them. She turned around and yelped, tugging on Goku's arm. "There they are!"

"Who?" Goku asked, whipping around. "Homura?"

"No, the monkeys!" Meika pointed back to the roof, frowning when the monkeys were no longer there. "They were just there…"

"Never mind that." Goku tugged Meika over to where Sanzo and the others were already seated and ready to drink. "Stay here with Hakuryuu for a minute."

Meika sighed as Hakuryuu perched on her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek. "ZoZo, don't lose!"

Goku appeared a moment later with a large plate of dumplings. He handed one to Meika before stuffing one in his own mouth. "This should be interesting."

Meika sat on the ground, watching as Gojyo, Hakkai, and Sanzo easily beat the first team they were up against. The matches continued until only Sanzo's team and the Fei brothers were left. Meika didn't know whether to be more amazed by the amount of alcohol that the two groups had consumed or all the food that Goku had eaten by himself. She patted Hakuryuu's rather fat belly and giggled as the little dragon let out a tiny burp. She glanced over her shoulder and wasn't surprised to see the large number of monkeys lining the roofs. They had been steadily growing in numbers since the competition began.

"You can do it, Hakkai, Gojyo, Sanzo!" Goku cheered.

"JoJo is taking a nap." Meika giggled. "HaHa won't let them lose. He's the king of drinking."

Meika's point was proven as Hakkai was the only one that remained conscious. She grinned and ran onto the stage, hugging Hakkai. "You did it, HaHa! You're the best drinker in the whole world!"

Hakkai blinked. "Well, that was rather easy."

The tavern owner grinned as he approached. "Why don't you come inside? We'll get your friends in where they can rest."

As soon as they were in the tavern, Meika helped seat the now sleeping Gojyo, Sanzo, and Goku at a table. While Hakkai sat at another table with the tavern owner and continued drinking, Meika went to look out the window. Night had fallen suddenly and without warning. Meika frowned, seeing strange shadowy shapes moving outside which she swore were the monkeys from the forest.

"Meika, it's past your bedtime now." Hakkai said softly, leading the young girl away from the window.

"But, HaHa, I saw…"

Hakkai smiled cheerfully, picking Meika up and walking back over to his seat. He sat with the little girl in his lap and rocked back and forth with her. "Don't worry about it, Meika. Everything will be okay."

"HaHa, when I get older, can I drink all the sake I want?" Meika asked, yawning sleepily.

Hakkai chuckled and kissed the top of Meika's head. "Of course, Meika. Now, go to sleep."

Meika hadn't been sleeping for very long when a strong killing aura woke her up. She clung tightly to Hakkai as the tavern owner stepped into the room with the monkeys from the forest in tow. Her eyes widened when she saw that the tavern owner was a youkai. "HaHa…"

Hakkai said nothing but squeezed Meika's waist tightly, reassuringly.

Meika squeezed her eyes shut tightly as Hakuryuu lit the lamp dangling from the ceiling. She could hear the monkeys chitterling nervously.

"Really, attacking us while we're drunk and asleep." Gojyo tsked disapprovingly. "That's pretty low."

"Meika, stay close to me now." Hakkai said soothingly as he stood up, placing Meika on the ground.

Meika eyed the monkeys nervously, clutching Hakkai's pant leg tightly. "Okay…"

The tavern owner frowned. "Damn it. Get them!"

Meika squealed as the monkeys launched themselves at the group, clawing and biting wherever they could find purchase. "Their angry because JoJo stole their sake!" She wailed. She blinked as the monkeys before her didn't launch themselves at her, only hissed at her. "Bad monkeys! Go away!"

"Now, we don't have time to play, Meika." Hakkai shook the monkeys off of himself and plucked Meika from the ground.

"Who was playing?" Meika whined as Hakkai ran out of the tavern, following Sanzo and the others into the cool night.

"Jeez, monkeys sure are a pain." Gojyo said as they continued running.

"What'd you say?" Goku snarled out.

"Now, you two." Hakkai chastised. "The monkeys are only being manipulated so please go easy on them."

"What's the plan?" Meika asked, looking over her shoulder at the monkeys chasing them. She blinked when she saw them slowing down.

"Simple; we run until they get worn out and go to sleep." Gojyo answered.

It wasn't long before the monkeys grew tired and curled up, falling fast asleep just outside the inn. Hakkai chuckled as he put Meika down. "Now, be a good girl and make sure our monkey friends are safe."

Meika eyed the sleeping monkeys warily. "What if they wake up and try and eat me again?"

"Please," Gojyo ruffled her hair as Sanzo and the others approached the tavern. "Monkeys love you. They wouldn't ever try and hurt you."

"Fine." Meika huffed, plopping down on the ground in the middle of the sleeping monkeys circle. Hesitantly, she reached out and stroked one behind its ear. At that moment, she heard Sanzo's gun go off inside the tavern and all the monkeys woke up. She squealed as the monkey she had been petting launched itself into her lap. "Stop, that tickles!" She laughed as the monkey began messing with her hair.

"Meika, it seems you've made some new friends." Hakkai laughed as more of the monkeys came to play with the little girl.

"I told you that monkeys love you, Meika." Gojyo chuckled.

"ZoZo, can we keep them, please?" Meika asked.

"I already told you, no!" Sanzo shouted, smacking Gojyo in the head with his fan.

"What the hell did I do?" Gojyo yelled.


	37. Rainy Day

**Ahhh! I've been gone forever! Finals are over now and it's Christmas Break so hopefully updates will be more frequent now! Also, this January, there will be two new baby stories! Look for them!**

**Sakura02: But, you don't have a soul so sake shouldn't be that big of a deal :)**

**Thanks: H-Dawg-luvs-anime, CBarbie92, Maharl100, White Arc Angel, Princesa de la Luna, Black-Cl0thed-Angel, KakashiisWifey, AdaYuki, and Angela for reviewing!**

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"It's been raining all day." Meika sighed as she ran to catch up with Goku, a brown paper bag filled with groceries clutched tightly to her chest. Her clothes were soaked through and her red hair clung to her face. "I hope ZoZo is feeling better…"

Goku grinned as he slowed down for Meika to catch up to him. He grabbed her hand with his free one. "I bet he's been taking a really long nap and he's fine now."

Meika gave a half-hearted smile as her and Goku continued on to the inn. They had left Gojyo and Hakkai behind a ways back, both wanting to make sure Sanzo was okay. "I don't like how ZoZo gets when it rains. He's scary."

"Don't worry, MeiMei." Goku squeezed her hand as they came up to the inn. "Sanzo's just not feeling good right now. He'll be fine, you'll see."

The two quietly made their way up to the room. Goku frowned as he opened the door and found Sanzo sitting up in the bed, a lit cigarette dangling from his mouth. "Jeez, Sanzo, you didn't even take a nap?"

Meika cautiously approached the bed as Goku babbled on about how he had bought a mask and peaches to try and help Sanzo feel better. "ZoZo, you really shouldn't smoke if you don't feel good."

Sanzo glared down at her, taking a long drag of his cigarette. "I'm not sick, Stupid Brats."

Goku frowned and rushed over to the bed, yanking the cigarette from Sanzo's mouth. "Well, you don't look very well so you shouldn't be smoking. You might even have a fever and not know it." Goku placed his hand on Sanzo's forehead.

Meika's eyes widened and she let out a small gasp as Sanzo slapped Goku's hand harshly away. "ZoZo, please don't get angry with GoGo…"

"I told you I wasn't sick." He said coldly.

Goku shook off the shock of having his hand slapped away. "You haven't eaten or slept well ever since this rain started. If your not sick, then something must be wrong. What is it?"

"It doesn't concern you, either of you." He added when he saw Meika walking closer to the bed.

"Yes it does." Meika said softly, placing a timid hand on Sanzo's knee. "We both really love you, ZoZo. When you're upset it upsets us. Did we do something wrong to upset you?" She asked, staring up at him with her wide red eyes.

"Shut up." Sanzo hissed.

"Oi, Sanzo, that's no way to talk to MeiMei." Goku said.

Meika let out a cry of surprise as Sanzo angrily kicked the table beside the bed down. She stumbled away from him and clutched tightly to Goku's side. "ZoZo, please don't be angry." She sniffled out, tears welling up in her eyes. It always upset her when they got angry. For some reason, it always made her cry.

"Get out." Sanzo said forcefully.

Goku frowned, holding Meika closer to him. "What's wrong with you? We're just worried about you."

Sanzo stared blankly ahead, not even seeming to see the two standing before him. "I never asked either of you to be. I already told you once; Get. Out."

"GoGo!" Meika shouted as Goku rushed out of the room. She glared over at Sanzo, kicking him swiftly in the shin. "ZoZo, you're the worst! I hate you!" She shouted before rushing off after Goku. She rushed passed Hakkai and Gojyo, who both shouted after her in alarm. "GoGo, wait for me!"

Eventually, she caught up to Goku just outside the town. Goku paused in his running to allow Meika to catch up to him. He leaned down and picked her up, hugging her closely to him before resuming walking.

Meika wrapped her arms around his neck, lightly kissing his cheek. "Please don't be sad, GoGo…"

Goku sighed, finally pausing beside a waterfall. He put Meika down and simply held her hand. "MeiMei, I'm sorry. You're probably going to get sick now because you chased after me."

"It's okay." Meika smiled and hugged Goku tightly. "You always come and save me so I wanted to come save you this time."

Goku managed to crack a smile before sighing forlornly again. "What's up with him? To him, I'm just a…" His voice trailed off as he slowly turned around.

"GoGo?" Meika looked behind them and tensed, seeing the person smiling down at them from a high rock. "Homura!"

"Are you two alone?" Homura asked good naturedly, his arrogant smile never leaving his face.

Goku moved himself between Homura and Meika. "Go away. I'm in a really bad mood right now."

"Really?" Homura asked, leaping gracefully down from the boulder to stand before the two. "What about you, Yanmei? Are you in a bad mood too? You look like you've been crying. Has someone hurt you?"

Meika glared at Homura from behind Goku. "Just go away! Just leave us alone!"

"Just shut up!" Goku shouted, charging at Homura.

"GoGo!" Meika cried out as Homura easily shoved Goku into a muddy puddle. Using the rain and water all around her, Meika summoned a large water ball and threw it at Homura.

Homura sighed, knocking the water ball away. "You've grown weak, Yanmei. How disappointing."

"MeiMei!" Goku shouted as Homura roughly punched Meika in the stomach.

Meika gasped for air but couldn't fill her lungs. She looked up at Homura as her vision began to tunneling before finally fading away to nothingness.

* * *

_"One…Two…Three! Ready or not, here I come!" Yanmei pushed herself away from the tree she had been shielding her eyes in. "Goku-chan, Nataku-chan, where are you?"_

_"Yanmei, what are you doing?" _

_Yanmei whipped around, a bright smile on her face. She rushed over to the god and hugged him. "Hi, Homura-chan! I'm playing hide-n-seek with Goku-chan and Nataku-chan! Wanna help me find them?"_

_Homura smiled softly down at the little girl. He knelt down and cupped her cheek in his hand. "Yanmei, do you even realize what your destiny is? What the Jade Emperor wants from you?"_

_Yanmei blinked and cocked her head to the side. "No. Am I in trouble? Daddy said I'd been a good girl lately. I've been trying really hard not to be bad."_

_"No, it's nothing like that." Homura's eyes saddened. "You shouldn't have to…"_

_"It's okay." Yanmei smiled and held Homura's hand between her two smaller ones. "Whatever the Jade Emperor wants me to do, it'll probably help everyone, right?" When Homura reluctantly nodded, Yanmei's smile brightened. "Then it's okay. As long as I can help everyone and make Daddy, Konzen-chan, Tenpou-chan, Goku-chan, Nataku-chan, and Homura-chan happy, then it's okay."_

"MeiMei, are you okay?"

Meika blinked as she slowly woke up. She pushed herself off of the cold stone floor beneath her. She looked around, not recognizing her surroundings. Her eyes widened when she saw Goku was chained to the far wall. "GoGo!" She rushed over to him, pulling on the chains in vain. "Are you okay, GoGo?"

Goku smiled weakly down at her. "I think so…I'm just glad you're okay."

"Why wasn't I chained up?" Meika muttered to herself.

"There was no need to." Homura seemed to appear from the shadows, slowly walking towards the two. "I know you won't leave Goku and you aren't strong enough to break his chains. You won't leave without him. You've always been like that, Yanmei."

"Let MeiMei go!" Goku shouted, trying to look as threatening as possible while chained to a wall. "If you're going to kill me, then just do it. Just leave MeiMei alone!"

Meika snarled and moved in front of Goku in a defensive position. She wasn't going to let Homura anywhere near him. She blinked as Homura knelt in front of her and cupped her cheek in his hand. A sense of familiarity washed over as she looked into Homura's mismatched eyes.

Homura sighed and stood up after a moment. "You really haven't changed." With that, he turned and disappeared back into the shadows.

"Hey, GoGo…" Meika lightly touched her cheek where Homura's hand had just been. "why is that every time we see Homura, he looks sadder and sadder?"

"What are you talking about, MeiMei?" Goku barked, still perturbed about being captured. "Get out of here, now! Go find Sanzo and the others!"

"No!" Meika immediately latched onto Goku's waist. "I'm not leaving without you."

After continuing to argue with Meika for a moment longer, Goku gave up. "Then, you need to rest. I don't want you tired in case Homura tries anything."

Meika sighed and slid down to sit against the wall. She pulled her knees up to her chest. "I don't like sleeping." She muttered even as her eyelids drooped shut.

"Why?" Goku asked.

"Because," She yawned out. "my dreams make me sad."

* * *

_"Goku-chan!" Yanmei cried out as she fell face first into the pavement. She sat up and tears immediately filled her eyes._

_"MeiMei!" Goku skidded to a halt and spun around, rushing back to his friend. He knelt in front of the crying little girl and hugged her. "It's okay. Don't cry. Come on. We'll go to Konzen and he'll fix you."_

_Yanmei shook her head. "I don't wanna. He'll just call me a baby and yell at me for bothering him. Look, I'm not even bleeding." Yanmei wiped the tears from her eyes as she showed Goku her knee._

_Goku sighed in relief when he saw there was indeed no blood, just an angry red mark. He swooped down and placed a quick kiss on Yanmei's knee. He grinned triumphantly as he straightened up. "There. All better."_

_Yanmei blinked and looked between Goku and her knee. "Why'd you do that?"_

_"Um…well…" Goku scratched his cheek nervously. "I saw a mom kiss her kid's booboo the other day. When she kissed it, the kid stopped crying and was really happy. I thought if I gave your booboo a kiss, it would make it better."_

_Yanmei stared blankly at Goku before giggling. "You're silly, Goku-chan. But," She continued as he began sputtering in embarrassment. "that's why I love you so much. The next time you get a booboo, tell me. I'll kiss your booboo away too."_

_"Okay!" Goku grinned and took Yanmei's hand, leading her on towards Tenpou's library._

"Wake up, Yanmei."

Meika woke up, only to find Goku was no longer chained to the wall. Homura was once again, kneeling in front of her, touching her cheek. "Are you making me see all those things?" Meika asked.

Homura straightened and gently nudged Meika towards Goku. "Come along now, you two."

Meika frowned as Goku sadly stood up. She grabbed his hand and allowed him to tug her along. "GoGo, what's wrong?" Her frown deepened as Goku said nothing. Eventually, they wound up by the waterfall where Homura had captured both Goku and Meika. Meika blinked as Goku picked her up and jumped up into a tree. "GoGo?"

"Yanmei, you want to know why you keep having those dreams, don't you?" When he got no answer, he continued. "If you and Son Goku join me, I'll tell you everything."

Before Meika could say anything, Gojyo and Hakkai appeared, fighting Zenon and Shien. Neither seemed to notice Goku and Meika in the tree. Meika cried out as Hakkai was shot in the back by Zenon and Shien's whip wrapped tightly around Gojyo's neck. Before she could attempt to pull herself away from Goku, a gunshot rang through the air, hitting Shien's whip and saving Gojyo. "ZoZo!"

Sanzo looked up in the tree and frowned when Goku cowered away from him. "You're just going to be an idle spectator? You're scum."

Meika bristled, furious with Sanzo. He was the reason Goku had run off in the first place. He had hurt Goku. She opened her mouth to yell at him when Goku leapt from the tree. "GoGo?"

"Wait!" Goku shouted. "You don't care about me at all! You never say anything! You're the one that's mean here! Why'd you take me out of there in the first place? If it's just going to be like this, I'd rather you have just left me in the mountain!"

Meika leapt down from the tree, standing a few feet behind Goku as Sanzo whipped around and approached Goku. She remembered Goku telling her about how he had been locked in a cave in a mountain for five hundred years and how it had been Sanzo that had saved him. "ZoZo, don't be mean to GoGo!" She shouted, rushing to stand protectively in front of Goku.

Sanzo brought his hand up and rested it on Goku's head. He glanced down at Meika, extending his other hand to her.

Meika stared at Sanzo's hand for a moment before reaching out and holding it. She smiled as his hand closed around her own. "ZoZo…"

Goku lowered his head, tears welling in his eyes. "I'm always causing you trouble…I hate that! What's wrong with me worrying about you every now and then?"

Meika glanced over her shoulder at Goku. She wanted to reassure him that he wasn't the only one that caused Sanzo trouble, that she caused him many a headache as well. Something told her she should just remain quiet, though, and simply hold onto Sanzo's hand.

Sanzo remained silent before glaring up at Homura. "What the hell did you say to him?"

Homura smirked. "Nothing."

Meika shrugged when Sanzo looked to her for answers. She had been asleep if and when Homura had spoken to Goku.

"The next time we meet, I will take Son Goku and Yanmei by force. Goodbye." With that, Homura, Zenon, and Shien disappeared.

Sanzo snarled in annoyance before turning his attention back to an upset Goku and a distraught Meika. "I'm in a bad mood because of the rain. Deal with your own problems on your own." He turned and began walking away with Meika still attached to his hand. "When I freed you, it wasn't because I wanted a servant."

Meika blinked as she looked up at Sanzo. "What about me?"

Sanzo looked down at her. "You…I have no clue how the hell I got stuck with you."

Meika puffed her cheeks out, but still clung to Sanzo's hand. "You're mean, ZoZo!"

Meika sat patiently in the back of Jeep with Goku, waiting for the others to appear. Even though Goku seemed much happier today, she could still see that he was upset. "GoGo…"

At that moment, Hakkai and the others came out and piled into Jeep. "Saru, go get some cigarettes, pickled kelp, and mandarin oranges." Sanzo said as he took his customary spot.

Goku frowned. "But, yesterday, you said I wasn't your servant." He squeaked as Sanzo fired warning rounds into the air. "I'm going!"

"Chibi, go make sure he doesn't get into trouble."

Meika didn't need to be told twice. She ran after Goku. "GoGo, wait for me!"

Goku slowed down to allow Meika to catch up to him. "I don't get Sanzo at all…" He blinked as Meika tugged on his hand. "What's wrong?"

Meika motioned for him to kneel down. When he did, she first kissed the diadem around his forehead and then the part of his shirt that covered his heart. She smiled up at him when he stared at her with confusion. "You still had a booboo in your mind and on your heart from yesterday. If someone kisses the booboo away, it makes it all better. Whenever you, or JoJo, or HaHa, or ZoZo get a booboo on your heart, I'll kiss it better, okay?"

Goku blinked before grinning and hugging Meika tightly. "I love you, MeiMei!"


	38. The Past part 1

**Hello and Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you had a fabulous holiday season! I'm super excited because I finally finished the second draft of my novel! Two drafts down, two more to go!**

**As I said last update, there will be two new baby stories starting this month that will be updated on Saturdays. Last week's new baby story was Hetalia! This week's new baby story is…Fullmetal Alchemist!**

**Sakura02: Sanzo is positively terrifying when he's angry. Don't worry, Meika will get sick soon :) We'll see how much he likes it when someone's mean and cranky with him XD**

**Thank you: KakashiisWifey, Angela, Maharl100, CBarbie92, White Arc Angel, AdaYuki, Princesa de la Luna, Saiyuri Haruno, and H-Dawg-luvs-anime for reviewing!**

**Note: This whole chapter is set 500 years ago when everyone was a god and lived in the heavens!**

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"Hey, do you have anymore of that stuff?" the brown haired boy asked, grinning widely at Yanmei. "I'm still really hungry."

Yanmei shook her head and smiled apologetically. "No, but I know where more is. I can get you some later." She squeaked as the boy threw his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"Yanmei-sama!" The man that had brought the boy from the Lower World shrieked in terror.

Konzen rolled his eyes. "Brat, over here, now."

"Okay, Konzen-chan." Yanmei smiled brightly back at the boy before slipping away from him and skipping back over to Konzen. "He seems really nice, Konzen-chan. Why do they have chains on his hands and feet?"

Konzen was about to snap at the little girl and tell her to shut up when he noticed the boy standing only about a foot away from him. "What?" He snapped.

The boy grinned up at Konzen. "Your hair is really shiny! Like the sun."

Yanmei giggled at the incredulous look on Konzen's face as the boy grabbed the end of his ponytail and ripped part of it off. "That's why you should take better care of your hair, Konzen-chan." She blinked as she heard the Merciful Goddess stifle her laughter behind her.

Konzen stood there for a moment, dumbfounded. Then, he reached out and began furiously trying to beat the confused boy. "What the hell did you do that for?"

Yanmei was about to protest Konzen's rough treatment of the boy, when Konzen reached out and pulled her into the fray as well. She yelped as Konzen whapped her upside the head. "What'd I do, Konzen-chan?"

"Somehow, this is all your fault, I know it!" Konzen shouted. Eventually, the fray ended with Konzen having a hold of Yanmei and the boy by their ears.

The Merciful Goddess put on her most serious face as she turned her attention to the one that had found the boy. "We just need to take care of him here, right?" At the man's hesitant nod, the Merciful Goddess sighed. "Very well. We'll take care of him here."

Yanmei looked nervously over at the Merciful Goddess. "I don't think that's a good idea. You kill houseplants. I don't think you can take care of a kid."

The Merciful Goddess rolled her eyes. "Who said I was going to take care of the brat? You need a playmate, don't you, Yanmei? And since Konzen is always in charge of you when your father is gone, I'll leave it up to my adorable nephew to care for the boy."

The boy blinked as Konzen released his ear and went over to yell at the Merciful Goddess. He looked over at Yanmei whom was rubbing her red ear furiously. "Is it always like this?"

Yanmei shrugged and gave the boy a sheepish smile. "More or less. Hey, what's your name?"

The boy shrugged. "I dunno. I don't think I have one."

"Konzen, you will give this boy a name." The Merciful Goddess waved her hand in Konzen's irate face. "You are dismissed. Oh, Yanmei, go find your father and make sure he's actually doing his job."

Yanmei bowed. "Yes ma'am. I'll see you later." She waved at the brown haired boy before running off to find her father. She was fairly certain he wasn't working. She ran around, asking people if they had seen her father anywhere. She always received the same negative answer. She sighed as she leaned against a pillar. "Stupid Daddy. Where are you?" She pouted to herself.

"Ah, what are you doing out here by yourself, Yanmei-chan?"

"Tenpou-chan!" Yanmei squealed and rushed over to the Field Marshal, hugging him tightly. "I'm looking for Daddy. Have you seen him anywhere?"

Tenpou smiled down at the little girl and patted her head. "I have a vague idea. Follow me."

Yanmei took Tenpou's hand and followed him over to where all the sakura trees were in full bloom. She grinned as a single petal landed on her nose for a moment before being caught by the wind again and blowing away. She blinked as Tenpou paused under one of the trees. She looked up and frowned at what she saw. "You're supposed to be working, not drinking, Daddy."

Tenpou chuckled as Kenren glanced down. "Your poor subordinates have been looking everywhere for you."

Kenren shrugged. "Sorry, Yanmei. You know Daddy doesn't like drinking with old geezers that he has to suck up to. Do you want to come sit with Daddy for a while?"

Yanmei shook her head. She climbed up into the tree to give Kenren a brief hug and kiss on the cheek. "The Merciful Goddess just wanted to know where you were. I'm going to go play with the new boy for a while."

Kenren blinked as Yanmei jumped out of the tree and hugged Tenpou. "What new boy?"

"He's my age and he's really nice." Yanmei said before skipping off.

Kenren sat there for another minute. "Hey, Yanmei, I forbid it!"

Tenpou looked over at Yanmei's figure running off. "I don't think she heard you."

Yanmei smiled and hummed to herself as she rushed over to Konzen's office. She cried out in alarm as someone ran into her. She blinked when she heard a rather familiar voice apologizing to her. "Oh, it's you!" Yanmei grinned at the boy from earlier. "Did Konzen-chan give you a name yet?"

"No, not yet." The boy sighed, his shoulders sagging. "He mostly just calls me brat and yells at me."

Yanmei stood up, dusting off her green dress. "What are you doing by yourself? I thought Konzen-chan was supposed to take care of you."

The boy laughed sheepishly. "He's kind of mad at me right now so I'm trying to find a place to hide. Want to come with me?" He asked, holding his hand out to her.

Yanmei thought for a moment before taking his hand. "Sure!" The two rushed off before Konzen or any of his subordinates could find them.

"Hey, Yanmei, why is everyone here so boring?" He asked as they walked along the street.

"I don't know." Yanmei answered truthfully. "Maybe it's because they've all lived for a long time. Konzen-chan isn't boring, though. Neither is Daddy or Tenpou-chan. I think you'll like both of them." She blinked as he paused outside a pair of red doors. She looked nervously around as he opened one of the doors. "I don't think we're supposed to be here."

The boy held a finger to his lips. "It's okay. We'll just stay for a few minutes until Konzen calms down."

Yanmei nodded hesitantly before following him into the room. She'd never been in here before. Her father had told her she couldn't. Now that she was in the room, she didn't see what the big deal was. The room was virtually empty save for a large statue of the Buddha in the center.

"Hey! Who are you two?"

Yanmei squeaked and quickly hid behind the boy. She peeked around him to see that it wasn't one of the grown ups, but a kid like herself and the boy. His black hair was up in a bun while his gold eyes glared suspiciously at the two. She had never seen him before.

"I asked you two a question…" His anger trailed off as Yanmei was suddenly very close to his face. He shifted nervously as she stared intently at him. "What?"

"I've never seen a chakra like yours before." Yanmei muttered, gently touching the diamond shaped chakra on the boy's forehead.

The boy was about to protest when loud voices could be heard outside the room. "Crap. You two, follow me!" He grabbed both Yanmei and the boy's hands and dragged them behind the statue. He held a finger to his lips as Yanmei opened her mouth to ask him a question.

"Nataku-sama, are you in here?" A man called. When he got no response, he shut the door and went away.

After a moment, the three children breathed a sigh of relief. Yanmei smiled over at the black haired boy. "Is that your name? Nataku?"

"Are you running away for doing something bad too?" The boy from Lower World asked.

The boy grinned over at the two. "Yeah, I'm Nataku. I didn't do anything too bad. The Jade Emperor was taking a nap and had this really dumb look on his face so I drew nose hairs on him." He waved a black marker in the air.

Both Yanmei and the boy broke out into laughter. "That's so cool!" he exclaimed.

Yanmei wiped a tear from her eye. "I wish I could have seen that! The Jade Emperor always acts like he's so cool."

"I should've taken a picture…" Nataku sighed. "So you guys know my name, but who are you?"

"I'm Yanmei. This is…" She frowned as the boy from Lower World frowned down at his chains.

"I don't have a name." He answered truthfully. "There wasn't anyone to give me a name. Everyone here calls me weird. They say I'm a heretic because I was born from a rock and that I need to be kept here because my golden eyes are unlucky."

Nataku stared at him curiously for a moment. "I don't get what any of that stuff means but it sounds cool. You being born from a rock means there's only one of you in the whole world and that no one can ever replace you. That amazing, isn't it?"

"There you are, Nataku-sama!"

All three children stiffened as one of the Jade Emperor's lackey's appeared. The man glowered down at the three. "You go too far with your pranks. Return to the main hall at once, Nataku-sama!"

Nataku sighed and stood up. "Okay." He blinked as Yanmei reached out and grabbed his hand, only to find both Yanmei and the boy staring intently at him.

"Hey, Nataku," the boy asked "can we play again?"

Nataku looked between the boy to Yanmei's hopeful eyes. He grinned at the two. "Yeah! See you guys around!" He then allowed the lackey to lead him out of the room.

Yanmei stood up after that and stretched her legs out. "I don't think Konzen-chan will be mad at you anymore. You should go back to him. I need to go find my daddy."

The boy sighed and stood up as well. The two walked out of the room hand-in-hand. He held her hand before they parted ways. "The next time we play together, I'll have a name so you and Nataku and can call me by my name."

Yanmei smiled and nodded. "Okay!" She leaned forward and kissed his cheek before running off to find Kenren. "See you later!"

* * *

"Yanmeeeeiiiii!"

Yanmei squealed as she was suddenly tackled to the ground by a brunette blur. She winced as she sat up. "Oh, it's you. What's wrong?"

The boy grinned. "I've got a name now! Wanna know it?" When Yanmei nodded enthusiastically, the boy's grin widened. "It's Goku!"

"Goku?" Yanmei thought for a moment before grinning. "I like it. It suits you. Where are you going, Goku?"

Goku helped Yanmei to stand up. "I was going to go exploring. Wanna come with me?"

"Sure. Daddy's on a date right now." Yanmei grabbed Goku's hand and began leading the way. "I know where this really pretty flower field is. Want to go?"

"Sure!" Goku exclaimed. The two walked hand-in-hand with Yanmei leading.

Yanmei led them out of the main city area and into a large open field where hundreds of wildflowers were in bloom. She giggled as Goku rushed forward, dragging her behind him. She blinked when she saw a lone figure standing in the field of flowers. "Homura-chan?"

Homura turned and looked blankly at the two children. "Yanmei, what are you doing here?"

Goku grinned up at the god. "Me and Yanmei are gonna pick flowers! Is that okay?" When Homura nodded, Goku tugged Yanmei a few feet away where they began picking flowers. Goku frowned as Yanmei began weaving the stems of the flowers together. "What are you doing, Yanmei?"

"I'm making a flower crown for Nataku-chan." She explained. She blinked as Homura walked away without saying anything. "I wonder if he's okay…"

"Yanmei, let's go give these flowers to Konzen." Goku grinned as he stood up with a small bouquet of flowers in his hand. He helped Yanmei to stand and the two went back to Konzen's office.

"Tenpou-chan!" Yanmei rushed over to the man standing in Konzen's office and hugged him. "Welcome home, Tenpou-chan!"

Tenpou smiled down at Yanmei. "What a pretty flower crown you have there. Who's it for?"

"Nataku-chan." She answered, missing the disbelieving looks that crossed both Konzen and Tenpou's face.

Goku grinned up at Tenpou. "So, you're Tenpou? Yanmei told me a lot about you! I'm Goku."

Tenpou smiled at Goku. "Please, call me Tenchan. Yanmei, you too."

Yanmei giggled. "Okay, Tenchan!" She blinked as Goku began chasing a yellow butterfly around the room. "Goku, be gentle with it! If you hurt it's wings, it won't fly anymore."

Goku nodded, a serious look on his face. "Hey, Yanmei, when can I meet your dad?"

"I don't know." Yanmei answered, fiddling with the flower crown in her hand before putting it on her own head. "Daddy doesn't like that I'm playing with you and Nataku…" She blinked as Tenpou began walking towards the door. "Are you leaving already, Tenchan?"

Tenpou smiled and patted Yanmei's head. "Yes. Don't worry, I'll make sure your father behaves himself." He waved at the two children before leaving.

"Oi, Yanmei, get out of my office!" Konzen snapped.

Yanmei squeaked and nodded her head. "Okay, Konzen-chan. I'll see you later, Goku-chan." She kissed his cheek, like she always did to say goodbye and ran out. She decided she may as well go home and see if her father was there. She hummed softly to herself as she walked along the street until someone grabbed her and yanked her into an alleyway. She struggled and bit at her captor's hand.

"Yanmei, it's me!"

"Nataku-chan!" Yanmei stopped her struggling and grinned up at the war prince. She hugged him tightly. "I haven't seen you in forever! Where have you been?"

Nataku hugged Yanmei back. "Sorry, I've been really busy. Actually, I'm going to be going away for a while." He blinked as Yanmei's grip on him tightened. "Yanmei?"

"You're going to Lower World aren't you?" She asked. When Nataku nodded, she let out a sigh. "You're leaving, just like Daddy does. Promise you'll come back soon?"

Nataku grinned confidently at her. "Of course. This mission will be a piece of cake. I'll be back before you know it."

Yanmei nodded reluctantly before plucking the flower crown off her head and handing it to Nataku. "I made this for you. Take it with you, okay?"

Nataku's grin softened into a smile as he took the flower crown from Yanmei and tucked it into his shirt. "Okay." He blinked as Yanmei began hugging him again. "What's wrong, Yanmei?"

"You have to promise you'll be careful." Yanmei whispered as she looked up at Nataku. "You have to come back and play with me and Goku-chan again." She held her pinky up to him. "Promise?"

Nataku smiled and linked his pinky with hers. "Promise." He sighed when he heard people shouting his name. "I've got to go now. I'll see you soon, Yan…" He couldn't choke out her name as Yanmei pecked him on the cheek. His face turned five different shades of red while Yanmei looked rather satisfied with herself.

Yanmei ran out of the alleyway and back into the street. She turned briefly and smiled at Nataku. "See you soon, Nataku-chan!"

"Yeah…" Nataku said dazedly, not even caring when the men searching for him found him and scolded him.


	39. The Past Part 2

**Sakura02: Lol, Thanks for that. I'm not going to be able to write this chapter now without cracking up**

**Thank you: White Arc Angel, KaKashiisWifey, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, Princesa de la Luna, AdaYuki, and Angela for reviewing!**

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"Goku-chan, wait for me!" Yanmei whined as she chased after the frantically running boy. She looked over her shoulder at the men that were furiously chasing them. She looked back in time to see Goku round a corner. "Goku-chan!"

Kenren blinked as Goku ran right into him. He glanced up at Yanmei running around the corner. "Yanmei, what are you doing?"

"Oh, hi Daddy." Yanmei smiled breathlessly up at her father. "Me and Goku-chan are running away."

Kenren crouched down and glared at Goku. "So, you're the one Tenpou was telling me about. How long have you been seeing my daughter?"

Goku blinked, looking over at Yanmei for help. All he received in response was a helpless shrug. "I don't know. I see her everyday. We play together."

"General Kenren!" The two men shouted as they rounded the corner.

Kenren blinked as he suddenly had two children hiding behind him. Yanmei was looking up at him with her cutest possible puppy eyes. He sighed and looked back at the men. "Yes?"

"Those two were wandering around the Jade Emperor's castle without permission." One of the men panted out.

Kenren sighed before kneeling down with an arm wrapped around Yanmei and Goku. "Oh, is that all?"

The men blinked. "General Kenren, you know that boy?"

"Well of course." Kenren grinned. "He's my other illegitimate kid, like Yanmei. Now, kids, we should be on our way." Kenren laughed as he ushered the two children along beside him. Once they were outside, Kenren fixed Yanmei with a stern glare. "You know you aren't supposed to be over here without me. What were you doing?"

Yanmei shuffled her feet guiltily. "Goku-chan wanted to find Nataku-chan. We all promised we'd play together again and Goku-chan hasn't been able to tell Nataku-chan his name yet."

Kenren sat down on a rock and frowned. "Wait, you know the War Prince Nataku?" When Yanmei nodded, he sighed. "I knew I should've been keeping a closer eye on you." He looked over at Goku. "So, how do you two know Nataku?"

"We're his friends." Goku said with a bright smile. "Me and Yanmei-chan met him when we were trying to hide from Konzen."

"Is Nataku-chan back yet, Daddy?" Yanmei asked.

Kenren sighed before grinning at the two kids. "Nope, he's still in Lower World right now. He'll be back any day now, though." He didn't like the way Yanmei's eyes lit up when he mentioned the War Prince returning. He'd definitely have to keep a closer eye on her.

"General Kenren, Nataku has returned!" One of Kenren's subordinate's rushed over, gasping for air.

Kenren frowned, ignoring how excited Goku and Yanmei were. "Is something wrong?"

The man shook his head. "Gyumaoh was subjugated successfully, but it seems it was a rather difficult battle."

Yanmei's smile disappeared. "Is Nataku-chan okay?" When the man didn't answer, Yanmei immediately rushed off to where she knew Nataku and his group would be entering.

Goku was close behind her, both children running as fast as their tiny feet would carry them. When Yanmei saw Nataku, she gasped. "Nataku-chan!"

Nataku looked up. He was covered in blood and looked like he'd been thoroughly beaten. His eyes widened when he saw the two. "Yanmei…and the boy…"

"Nataku-chan!" Yanmei shouted as Goku caught Nataku from falling.

Others quickly rushed over. Nataku was taken from Goku's grasp and whisked away to his room. Both Yanmei and Goku followed closely behind, lingering outside so they weren't in the way. As soon as everyone had left, the two quietly slipped in.

"Nataku-chan…" Yanmei sniffled at seeing her friend so heavily bandaged. Carefully, she climbed into the bed beside Nataku and knelt beside him. "I wonder why nobody stayed with him…"

"Don't cry, Yanmei-chan." Goku grinned over at her from the opposite side of the bed. "When Nataku wakes up, you need to smile for him. He'll be sad if he wakes up and sees your crying."

Yanmei quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded. The two stayed beside Nataku, worried that someone would come in and shoo them out. After a while, Yanmei grew drowsy from sitting in the dark room for so long. She yawned and laid down beside Nataku, carefully snuggling against his side.

She had barely begun to drift off when she felt Nataku tense beside her. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, only to find Nataku awake and staring at her with a slight blush. She smiled at him. "Nataku-chan, are you okay?"

Nataku nodded numbly before slowly sitting up.

"Those adults are horrible." Goku grouched. "I can't believe they were just going to leave you in this dark room all by yourself."

Nataku shrugged. "It's always like this. If anything happened to me, no one would care."

"That's not true!" Both Goku and Yanmei shouted together. Goku grinned. "We stayed with you the whole time, Nataku. Yanmei was really worried and she even started crying."

"Shut up!" Yanmei whined. She blinked as Nataku placed a hand over hers. "Nataku-chan?"

Nataku smiled sadly at her and reached into his robe, pulling out what was left of the flower wreath Yanmei had given him. "I'm sorry. It got destroyed."

"It's okay." Yanmei grinned. "I'll make you a new one when you're better. We can go to the flower field and you can pick out whatever flowers you want."

Nataku cracked a smile. "Right. When I'm better, we'll give you a tour." He said to Goku. Nataku suddenly winced and clutched his injured shoulder.

"Nataku-chan!" Yanmei twisted her hands nervously. "Maybe we should go get someone." She blinked as Nataku grabbed both her and Goku by the hand. "Nataku-chan?"

"Can you guys just…stay here…?"

Goku and Yanmei looked at each before grinning and nodding. "Sure!" Yanmei smiled at Nataku. "We'll stay with you until you get better." The three talked for hours, laughing at each other's stories.

"Hey, Yanmei-chan, what did your dad mean when he said you were his ill…" Goku frowned as he stumbled over the word.

"Illegitimate child?" Yanmei asked. When Goku nodded, Yanmei began playing nervously with the hem of her dress. "I don't know my mommy. Daddy said he woke up one morning to someone banging real loud on his door. When he opened it, I was wrapped in a blanket and there was a note that said: 'Take care of your mistake'. Daddy says he doesn't even know who my mommy is."

"That wasn't nice of her to call you a mistake." Goku frowned.

Yanmei shook her head and smiled sadly. "It's okay. My Daddy loves me. He tells me everyday. Daddy likes women a lot too. He brings them over sometimes and they go in his room and make funny noises. I wonder if one of those women is my mommy."

"Why do you think they make funny noises?" Goku asked, missing how red Nataku's face was becoming.

Yanmei shrugged. "I don't know. I asked him one time and he said they were fighting. But I've never heard anyone make those kinds of sounds when they're fighting." She looked up when Nataku began coughing nervously. "Do you know what they're doing, Nataku-chan?"

Nataku tried his best to lower his blush. "I don't know! I'm going to sleep!" He flopped back down onto his bed and pretended to go back to sleep.

Undeterred, Yanmei leaned over him. "You do know! Nataku-chan, can you show me what Daddy is doing with those ladies?"

"No way!" Nataku shouted, his blush back in full force. "That's something only adults are supposed to do, not kids."

Yanmei blinked. "Then, when we're grown up, we'll you show me?"

"Me too!" Goku chimed in. "Show me too!"

"I'm tired!" Nataku announced before closing his eyes again.

Yanmei and Goku looked at each and shrugged. Yanmei yawned and once again snuggled up beside Nataku while Goku rested his head against the bed. It wasn't long before all three children were sound asleep.

* * *

"Daddy, hurry up. We're going to be late." Yanmei huffed.

Kenren sighed before scooping Yanmei up and putting her on his shoulders. "Why do you care if we're late for the Jade Emperor's birthday? You usually hate going."

Yanmei grinned and rested her head on top of her father's. "But, this year, Nataku-chan and Goku-chan will be there." She missed the annoyed look that crossed Kenren's face. "Hey, Daddy, it looks like there's a fight going on over there."

Kenren sighed when he saw Tenpou heading in the direction of the fight. "Looks like we're going to have to get involved."

Yanmei giggled as her father began running with her still on his shoulders. "Goku-chan!" She shouted when she saw him bite the arm of one of the Jade Emperor's soldiers. "Daddy, save Goku-chan!"

Kenren sighed and kicked the solider in the side. "Whatever you say, Yanmei."

"Yanmei-chan! Ken-nichan!" Goku grinned as Yanmei hopped off her father's shoulder's and ran over to him. The two hugged. "I was looking for you."

"It's Daddy's fault we're late. Have you seen Nataku-chan anywhere?" Yanmei asked, ignoring the agitated whispers around them.

The soldier stood up and glared at Kenren. "General Kenren, even you will not be forgiven for such an outrage before the Jade Emperor."

Kenren shrugged. "I was getting bored with that old man's speech anyways. This is much more interesting." He began laughing. "Any of you that have a grudge against me, come at me now!"

Tenpou sighed and looked down at Yanmei. "Your father certainly knows how to rile people up."

Yanmei nodded. "Daddy's an idiot sometimes." She giggled as he easily beat up the people coming at him. "He's really strong, though."

"Look what you've done now, Kenren." Tenpou sighed. "Your daughter is proud to have a brawler for a father."

"Shut up." Kenren smirked. "You shouldn't act so high and mighty when a grudge against me means a grudge against you."

"Are we really that inseparable?" Tenpou sighed as he elbowed a man in the face that tried to sneak up behind him.

Goku's eyes lit up as he watched Tenpou and Kenren fighting. "They're awesome! Fighting looks fun! Yanmei, are those two always together or something?"

Yanmei grinned. "Yup. Sometimes, people tell me Tenchan is my mommy. But, I don't think boys can have babies." She frowned as two men tried to attack Tenpou form behind. "Don't touch Tenchan!" Both Yanmei and Goku kicked the men away.

Kenren mocked sniffled. "I've raised my baby so well. Not bad for your first try, Saru."

Goku frowned. "I'm not a monkey!"

"Goku, what are you doing?" Konzen snarled as he stormed over.

Goku's eyes lit up. "Konzen!" His smile quickly faded as Konzen began yanking on his cheek. "Ouch, Konzen!"

"I told you to stay close to me!" Konzen snarled. He glared at Kenren as the man put an arm around him.

"Hey now, kids will be kids, you know." Kenren said good-naturedly. "He's at that playful stage right now…" He blinked as Konzen slapped his arm away.

"You must be General Kenren." Konzen muttered. "Discipline your daughter more! I'm tired of doing it for you!"

Yanmei giggled as Goku ran over to her and hugged her, large tears falling from his eyes. "There, there, Goku-chan. Konzen-chan was just really worried about you. Him hurting you is his way of showing he cares."

Goku sniffled and looked up. "Really?"

"Konzen-sama, you must return to your seat immediately." A man said.

Konzen sighed. "No. These four are with me and since they caused this commotion, I'll leave."

"You just don't want to stay." Yanmei muttered as the group began walking away. She squeaked and grabbed Goku's hand as Konzen shot her a dirty look.

Goku grinned at her. "It's okay, Yanmei-chan. Him glaring at you means he cares."


	40. Festival

**Hello again, everyone! Sorry for the delay in updating! Physics is kicking my butt, plus it's been ridiculously cold here in Texas. We got real snow in my area which never happens! It was so cool! I've got a meeting with my advisor to discuss getting into the College of Education. I'm super excited!**

**Sakura02: Please don't throw Supey at me! That would hurt! Could I snuggle Robin afterwards?**

**Thanks: CBarbie92, AdaYuki, Princesa de la Luna, kaigirl16, White Arc Angel, Angela, KaKashiisWifey, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, and Mistress Ratchet for reviewing!**

**Note: We are back in the present timeline.**

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"HaHa, GoGo and JoJo are fighting over food again." Meika frowned at the two.

Hakkai chuckled and patted Meika's head. "Never mind them, Meika. Now, finish your chocolate milk."

Meika complied, giggling as Hakuryuu chomped down the last eggroll, making Gojyo and Goku's fight moot. She blinked as she heard the other patrons in the restaurant laughing as well, a different reaction from the usually disapproving glares they received wherever they went. "Why is everyone here so happy?"

A waiter blinked as he walked by their table. "You mean, you don't know?" At the blank stares he received from the group, he sighed. "I thought you travelers were here for the God Festival."

"What's a God Festival?" Meika asked, finishing off the last of her chocolate milk.

"Every year on this day, a god descends to the land of Saika." The waiter answered. "Because of this, no youkai ever bother us. We have this festival to give him thanks."

Meika glanced over at Sanzo whom was frowning thoughtfully while Goku began babbling excitedly. "What's he look like?" She asked.

The waiter gave her a funny look. "You know you can't see gods, right?"

Both Meika and Goku opened their mouths to protest, having seen quite enough of gods the past few months. Hakkai quickly clamped a hand over both of their mouths. "Of course not. You know how children can be."

Sanzo continued frowning. "What's this god's name?"

The smile never left the waiter's face. "His name is Shien-sama."

Meika stiffened, noting how Sanzo and the others suddenly grew very serious. Shien was on of Homura's men. Shien would be coming to this town, on this very day. "Well, at least it's not Homura." She finally said as the waiter left.

Goku pouted, resting his head on the table. "What are you talking about? That's so lame that it's just Shien."

Meika rolled her eyes and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She'd been feeling restless ever since they'd entered this town. While all the villagers and the atmosphere were one of happiness and joy, there was a strange sorrow she felt about the place. She kept flashing back to the boy with golden eyes from her dream every time the sorrowful feeling became particularly overwhelming. "Can we go soon, ZoZo? I don't like it here."

Sanzo raised an eyebrow as he lit his cigarette. "We won't stay much longer."

As soon as they had paid their bill, the group left, intent on getting out of the town. Meika sat in the back seat, squished between Goku and Gojyo, extremely restless. She kicked her legs against the seat, wrung her hands nervously, and wriggled around constantly. There were bad memories in this place that seemed to bother no one but her.

"Oi, Meika, you keep moving around like that and you'll fall." Gojyo lifted Meika up and sat her in his lap. "Now, be a good girl and sit still."

Meika was about to answer when Hakkai suddenly slammed on his breaks. Meika yelped as she was pitched forward along with Gojyo, her face smacking into the back of Sanzo's head. "Owie! ZoZo's hard head hurt me!"

"What the hell, Hakkai?" Goku shouted. He blinked when he saw that Hakkai had slammed on his breaks to avoid hitting a very familiar person.

"Yaone-san!" Meika cried excitedly. She leapt out of Jeep and rushed over to Yaone to hug her. "What are you doing here? It's dangerous to jump in front of cars, you know."

Yaone smiled briefly down at Meika. "I was actually wondering if you had seen Lirin-sama."

"Lirin-chan is missing?" Meika asked.

"Yes," Yaone sighed. "She snuck out of the castle so I thought she may have gone to find all of you."

Gojyo grinned teasingly at Sanzo. "Have you seen her?"

Sanzo glared at Gojyo from the corner of his eye. "No. Why are you asking me?"

"Because, you're her fav…" Gojyo didn't get to finish his sentence as he suddenly had a gun pressed against his chin. "I was just kidding."

"How'd you know to come this way, Yaone-san?" Meika asked, ignoring what was going on behind her.

"I found one of the flying dragons abandoned nearby…" Yaone's eyes widened as there was a particularly loud explosion just up ahead. "Lirin-sama!"

"Meika, get in the car." Sanzo leaned out of Jeep and pulled Meika in by the collar of her dress while Hakkai slammed on the gas to catch up with Yaone.

"ZoZo, do you think it's Shien and Lirin fighting?" Meika asked, clinging to Sanzo for dear life in order to not fall out of Jeep.

"Probably." Sanzo muttered.

"Yaone-san, please get in." Hakkai said. "I know this is unorthodox, Sanzo." Hakkai cut the priest off before he could say anything. "We can't leave things like this, though."

Sanzo growled but allowed Yaone into Jeep. He frowned as Meika leapt from his lap to the youkai woman's lap almost immediately. "You sure you don't want to take her with you."

Yaone smiled as Meika snuggled with her. "Quite sure. Meika-chan would not like it at the castle. There are some…troubling individuals there."

"Everyone, hold on tight!" Hakkai said as he gunned the engine and sent Jeep flying into the air.

Meika squeezed her eyes shut tightly as a painful feeling stabbed into her chest. So many fragmented images were rushing through her mind. She vaguely heard Yaone shout Lirin's name. After a few moments, Jeep suddenly stopped moving and she felt someone pick her up.

"You okay, MeiMei?" Goku asked as he let Meika climb onto his back as the group began walking on foot through the forest.

"Yeah…" Meika said softly, wrapping her arms around Goku's neck. She tuned out Lirin and Goku's whining as the images slowly faded the further they got from that place. She could breathe now, at least. She gasped as a loud explosion came from not far behind them. "What was that?"

"One of Yaone-san's traps." Hakkai answered as he shooed Hakuryuu off his shoulder. "He's close now. Everyone, get out of these mountains while I stall Shien."

Meika blinked as Goku put her down on the ground. "GoGo?"

Goku grinned down at her. "I'm going to help Hakkai fight. You stay with Yaone, okay?"

Gojyo sighed as he followed after Goku. "I guess I'll help too. Meika, you keep safe, understand."

"JoJo…!" Meika went to rush after them, but Sanzo caught her by her arm and held her firmly in place. "ZoZo…"

"Sanzo, please take care of Meika-chan and Hakuryuu." Hakkai called.

"Okay." Sanzo muttered.

Lirin glared at him. "You're really going to just abandon your friends like that? That's stupid! I would never do something like that! I'm going to…"

Meika's eyes widened as Sanzo punched Lirin so hard in the stomach that he knocked the youkai princess unconscious. "ZoZo, why'd you do that?"

"Shut up." Sanzo grit out as he hoisted Lirin onto his shoulder. "Don't make me knock you out too."

Yaone smiled gratefully at Sanzo. "I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble today. Next time we meet, though, we'll be enemies again and I won't hesitate to take your Maten Kyomon."

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "I'm dumping her as soon as we're out of these mountains."

Yaone nodded. "Well, I'll be off then." As she rushed past them, she placed a gentle hand on Meika's shoulder. "Take good care of them, okay?"

Meika pouted and reluctantly nodded as Hakuryuu fluttered over to rest on her shoulder. She grabbed Sanzo's hand as he began walking again.

"Wipe that smile off your face." He muttered at the happy look on Meika's face as he held her hand.

_You haven't changed at all, Yanmei. You're still the same as the girl Nataku-sama loved so much._

"What's wrong?" Sanzo frowned as Meika stopped walking and blinked.

Meika looked around in confusion. "Just now…I thought I heard Shien's voice…" She quickly smiled up at Sanzo. "I must be imagining things again."

* * *

"Lirin-chan, stole my food!" Meika wailed as Lirin danced around gleefully.

"Now, Meika-chan, calm down." Yaone tried her best to placate the small girl. "Lirin-sama, give Meika-chan back her food this instant!"

"Why the hell is she still here?" Sanzo grit out, irritated at just having his own food stolen.

"ZoZo, don't shoot Lirin-chan!" Meika's tears immediately dried up when she noticed Sanzo with his gun trembling in his hands.

Yaone smiled nervously while Hakkai tried to placate Sanzo. "I thought since we were already here, we could enjoy the festival."

"Here, Meika-chan." Lirin held out a dango to Meika. "I'll give this to you if you help me steal Goku's food."

"MeiMei, you traitor!" Goku howled as Meika swiped his food. He chased Meika and Lirin around the festival. "Give me back my food!"


	41. The Town

**It's the start of Spring Break for me! Going to Fiesta Texas today! I can't wait to ride some roller coasters!**

**Sakura02: Lol, maybe not nice, more he was just to lazy to come up with a witty retort :P**

**AdaYuki: Aw, thank you for being so understanding :). Yes, physics is an evil beast that needs to be slain. **

**White Arc Angel: Hopefully you'll like this chapter better.**

**Kaigirl16: Thank you.**

**Princesa de la Luna: Thank you**

**KaKashiisWifey: Ah, sorry about that. It was basically a place where Nataku had been seriously injured and Shien would go visit every year. Meika was sensing Shien's feelings of sadness and Nataku's pain. Sorry about that.**

**SaiyukiSucker: Thank you :)**

**Jessany: Thanks.**

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"ZoZo, I'm hungry." Meika whined in unison with Goku's whining for food. It felt like it had been forever since they'd stopped in a town and had a decent meal.

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "Shut up. We'll get to a town when we get to one."

Meika opened her mouth to whine some more but her words were replaced with a yelp of shock as Hakkai slammed on the breaks. She would've slammed her face into the back of the seats had it not been for Gojyo grabbing her and holding her tightly. "Thanks, JoJo."

"What the hell, Hakkai?" Gojyo snapped. "There aren't any red lights up in the damn mountains!"

"Well, actually…" Hakkai trailed off, pointing ahead of them. A decimated wagon train was just ahead, dead animal and human bodies littering the road along with the destroyed wagons and supplies. "Meika, stay in…" Hakkai sighed as Meika hopped out along with the rest of them. "Stay close."

Meika clutched Gojyo's hand as they surveyed the remains. "JoJo, shouldn't there be more people here?" She asked.

Gojyo frowned and nodded. "Given the number of wagons…what do you think Hakkai?"

"It could be a youkai attack." Hakkai mused. All of them spun around when Goku shouted in surprise.

"HaHa, this guy's alive!" Meika exclaimed as she stood beside Goku.

Hakkai helped the man out of the debris. "Hold on."

The man looked helplessly at the group. "My companions were captured by youkai. Please…save them."

"ZoZo, we have to help them so wipe that annoyed look off your face." Meika said firmly.

Sanzo glared down at her. "I'm not taking orders from a child."

"Gojyo, you and Goku go on ahead and see if you can find anything out." Hakkai said, already helping the injured man towards Jeep. "Sanzo, Meika, and I will get this man to a doctor. Don't you give me that look, Meika. It's too dangerous for you."

Meika huffed. "I wanna help JoJo and GoGo. ZoZo's just going to complain the whole time about how much of a pain it is to help the guy. Besides, I want to practice my Earth magic. If I don't practice, how am I going to be able to help you guys fight?"

"Don't worry, Hakkai." Gojyo grinned at the clearly worried look on Hakkai's face. "We'll make sure nothing happens to her. All right, Meika, Saru, let's go!"

Meika giggled as Goku began vehemently protesting being called a 'saru'. The three continued walking along the path in relative silence until they came upon a village. "Is this where all those people were heading?" Meika asked.

"Seems like it." Gojyo answered. "Meika, why don't you show us how that Earth magic of yours works?" Gojyo asked as a group of youkai was suddenly running towards them, shouting loudly.

"Well, you know all those random bumps we keep hitting in the road?" Meika asked before she began softly muttering the words that Hakkai had taught her. She placed her hands on the ground and grinned as the earth suddenly rose up and rushed towards the oncoming youkai like a wave before knocking them all down.

"That was you?" Goku shouted. "MeiMei, I lost food because of all those bumps!" He whined.

"Sorry, GoGo." Meika smiled sheepishly. She blinked as the youkai got up and continued rushing towards them. "I guess I didn't hit them hard enough."

Gojyo smiled and patted her head. "That's why you just keep practicing. Now, you let Goku and I deal with them."

"Get out of our way!" The youkai shouted, their weapons raised.

Meika couldn't help flinching slightly as Gojyo and Goku easily smacked them away. "They're really rude, JoJo. Their mommy's didn't teach them manners."

"Who the hell are you guys?" One of the youkai snapped as they stood up to try to once again attack the little group.

Gojyo sighed. "Look, we really don't want to move around too much."

"Yeah! It'll just make me hungrier!" Goku whined.

Meika sighed as some of the youkai once again rushed at Gojyo and Goku, and were once again smacked away. "And they're dumb too." She blinked as they all suddenly ran away. "That's…different."

"Stop!" Goku shouted, about to chase after the youkai. He blinked as Gojyo grabbed his shoulder. "What're you…"

"Zenon-san!" Meika was rather surprised to see the god there. "Were those youkai your friends?"

Before Zenon could respond, a youkai leapt from the roof of a nearby house to attack him. Zenon easily dispatched the youkai with a shot from his machine gun. "I guess not…" Gojyo sighed out. Really, this was getting way too complicated.

Zenon turned his attention back to the little group. "Are you three looking for the Kyomon that's here as well?"

Meika looked at Goku whom shrugged helplessly. "Like what ZoZo has?"

Again, before Zenon could answer, they heard a woman screaming. The four looked at each other, coming to a silent agreement to work together until this whole youkai mess was sorted out. As soon as they reached the screaming woman, they saw what had her so distressed.

A young boy, whom they heard the woman call Shunei, was being held hostage by a youkai. The young boy was trembling as the youkai pressed a sword tightly to his throat.

"That's mean!" Meika protested. "JoJo, he's being mean! Go beat him up!"

Gojyo sighed. "I thought you wanted to practice your magic."

"Yeah…but…if I use it when I'm not very good at it, I might hurt that boy. Then, I'd be mean like that youkai." Meika pouted.

"What should we do, Gojyo?" Goku asked.

Zenon scoffed. "What can you three possibly do? Just sit back quietly and watch."

Gojyo snarled. "You're kidding. What can you do alone?"

"More than the three of you put together could do." Zenon smirked confidently.

"I don't think we should be fighting right now." Meika interjected as Zenon began approaching the youkai. "JoJo, don't!"

Gojyo ignored Meika and threw his Shakujō in Zenon's direction. To Meika and Goku's surprise, the weapon bypassed Zenon and knocked the youkai's sword out of his hand.

"Get down, kid!" Zenon shouted as he raised up his weapon. As soon as the boy had flattened himself on the ground, Zenon disposed easily of the youkai.

Meika and Goku looked between Zenon and Gojyo. "Hey, when'd you set that whole thing up?" Goku asked, amazed.

Gojyo glowered at him. "This is why I always say you're slow!"

Meika pouted. "I didn't figure it out either. Does that mean I'm slow?"

"No, not you!" Gojyo scooped Meika up and nuzzled his cheek against hers. "You're little, you have an excuse for not catching onto the plan. He's just an idiot."

"Hey!" Goku protested.

Meika ignored Gojyo and Goku as they continued fighting. She was more interested in watching Zenon help the young boy up. She'd never seen the god with such a kind and gentle look before.

The woman rushed over to the young boy, coddling him before thanking the group profusely and insisting that they come to their house for dinner. All it took was Meika turning her wide puppy eyes on Gojyo for him to agree. The group followed the woman and the boy back to their house where an old man greeted them.

"Please, sit down." The old woman motioned to a small wooden table with four wooden chairs around it. While the group sat down, she filled four plates with food and sat them in front of the group.

"We can't offer you much in the way of a welcome, but please accept this food." The old man said before he and the old woman bowed and left.

Meika grinned as she began eating. She glanced curiously over at Zenon as she took a sip of water. "Why are you out here all by yourself, Zenon-san?"

Zenon blinked before shrugging. "I just felt like taking a walk alone. Don't look at me with such suspicious eyes. It makes you uncute."

Meika yelped in protest as Zenon roughly ruffled her hair. She stuck her tongue out at him before going back to eating her food. Like she cared if he thought she was cute. Goku thought she was cute. Gojyo and Hakkai did too. Sanzo…well…she wasn't sure if Sanzo considered anything cute and if he did, she wasn't sure how'd she react.

Zenon actually smiled at the thoughtful look on Meika's face. "There, much cuter."

"Didn't you say something about a Kyomon?" Gojyo asked suspiciously.

"You probably heard me wrong." Zenon answered. It was his turn now to look suspiciously at the three. "What are you three doing here? It's rather rare for the happy little fivesome to act individually."

Gojyo rolled his eyes. "It's not like we're together because we want to be." He then launched into the story of what had happened while they were on the mountain road and the destroyed caravan they had found. "Sanzo and Hakkai should get to this village some time tomorrow once they've gotten that injured guy to a doctor. I doubt this, but did your side get those youkai to kidnap those humans?"

Zenon rolled his eyes. "I hate petty tactics like that."

"So, it must be Gyumaoh's people." Meika sighed as she finished off the last of her soup.

"Which means there's no need for any of us to fight right now." Zenon smirked as Goku screamed for seconds, breaking the tension that had begun building in the room.

The old woman showed Gojyo, Goku, and Meika to their room while Shunei led Zenon to his own room. Meika looked back in time to see Zenon staring intently at the boy again. Frowning, she slipped away from the others unnoticed and followed Zenon and Shunei. She hid outside the room, listening to the two talk briefly. When Zenon suddenly stopped talking, Meika peered into the room to see he was staring at Shunei again. After a moment, Shunei left the room and ran right into Meika.

"Oh, did you need something?" He asked, smiling at Meika's flustered face.

"Um…no…I…" Meika's face was red from being caught. "I just wanted to talk to Zenon-san." Meika breathed a sigh of relief as Shunei nodded to her and left.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Meika squealed as Zenon was suddenly behind her. She spun around and glared at him. "It's rude to sneak up on people!"

"Well, it's rude to spy." Zenon countered. "Did you need something? I'm surprised those two let you come here." He sighed as Meika lowered her head. "So, what do you want?"

"I was just curious…" Meika mumbled. "You kept looking at Shunei-san like…oh…Hakkai taught me the word for it…wistfully. Do you know him?"

Zenon looked at Meika in surprise before sighing. "Nope. I've never met the kid before."

"So, why…?"

"You should get back to your room now." Zenon cut Meika off before she could finish asking her question. He knelt down and reached out to ruffle Meika's hair, smirking at how she flinched. He was much gentler this time. "I'd forgotten how perceptive you were. Now, get."

Meika yelped as Zenon suddenly slammed the door, leaving her out in the hallway.

"Is he always like that?" Shunei laughed as Meika squealed, once again caught off guard. "Sorry. I'll walk you back to your room."

"Thanks." Meika muttered. "And I don't know. We're not friends."

Shunei blinked before laughing again. "You're funny. What's your name?"

"Meika." She answered.

"Well, I'm Shunei. Let me know if you need anything, okay? Maybe tomorrow we can play together."

"No!" Gojyo shouted as he opened the door and yanked Meika into the room. "You can't play with boys, okay, Meika?" Gojyo said firmly. "They have sharp pointy teeth and they'll eat you."

Meika frowned as Gojyo tucked her into the bed. "But…you guys don't have sharp pointy teeth."

"That's because we're special." Gojyo kissed Meika's forehead. "Good night."

"Good night." Meika whispered to Gojyo and the already sound asleep Goku.

* * *

Meika sighed as she wandered out of the inn. Goku was still sound asleep and Gojyo hadn't felt like exploring the town which left Meika on her own. She blinked as she heard the sound of fighting behind the inn. She ran off to find the source of the noise and was surprised to see Zenon training Shunei. Meika hopped up to sit on a piece of a destroyed wall and watched with interest. She'd only ever known Zenon as an enemy, someone that tried to hurt her family. Seeing him now, she didn't think he was really all that bad.

"Oi, Yanmei, why don't you come show him how it's done." Zenon smirked as he threw a stick at Meika, watching in interest as she fumbled to catch it.

Meika puffed her cheeks out indignantly as she hopped off the wall. "I'm tired of telling all you weirdoes; my name isn't Yanmei! It's Meika. M-e-i-k-a."

Shunei watched in surprise at how aggressively Meika fought against Zenon. She was obviously no match for the man, but still…her attacks were much more aggressive than his had been and she was almost half his size. "You're amazing, Meika-san."

Meika felt her cheeks flush and she frowned. Her stomach was feeling unsettled, much like it was when she saw Kougaiji or the golden eyed boy in her dreams. "I've just been fighting longer than you is all." She smiled brightly over at him. "You're really good for a beginner and you'll get even better the longer you practice."

Zenon looked around the area, surveying the ruined houses. "This village is in a pretty sad state. Maybe you should all think of abandoning it."

"We can't." Shunei said sadly. "My dad once said that there is something precious in this village that we have to protect. He showed it to me one time."

Meika didn't miss the way Zenon's eyes widened. "Is it a Kyomon?"

"Um…yes…I think that's what they called it." Shunei blinked as Zenon placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Could you show it to me?" Zenon asked. He grinned as Shunei nodded. "I've hit the jackpot." He frowned as Meika began following the two of them. "Hey, go back to your friends."

"No way!" Meika protested as she kept stride with Zenon and Shunei. "I'm not letting you get your hands on the Kyomon. I'll get it before you do." She whispered so Shunei couldn't hear.

"I'd like to see you try, Yanmei." His grin widened as Meika shouted indignantly.

Shunei led them up a rocky hill just behind the village. He smiled as Meika began looking around nervously and took her hand in his. "It's just up ahead. Don't be scared."

"I'm not!" Meika protested, though she didn't protest as Shunei kept a hold of her hand.

"There it is." Shunei pointed to a dilapidated house a few yards ahead. He led Zenon and Meika in, the inside of the house worse than the outside.

"Shunei, I've lost family to youkai too." Zenon said, breaking the silence.

Meika looked up at Zenon, just as surprised as Shunei. She'd never thought of Zenon having a family before. He'd always just been the enemy, the bad guy. Bad guys didn't have families. Did Shien have a family? What about Homura?

"My wife and my son." Zenon continued. "If he were alive, my son would be about your age. I couldn't save them." He placed his hands on Shunei's shoulders. "Don't you die, Shunei. If you die, there will sure to be people that have regrets." He blinked as Meika was suddenly hugging him tightly. "Hey, what's wrong with you? Are you crying?"

Meika sniffled as she hugged the god. "I'm sorry, Zenon-san…"

Zenon sighed and patted Meika's head before dislodging her from him. "Don't forget; we're still enemies. Even if you are probably the most adorable enemy in existence."

Meika couldn't help but smile as Shunei once again led them through the house until they finally came to a large room. Nervously, Meika reached out and held Shunei's hand. "Is the Kyomon in there?"

"Yes." Shunei said hesitantly.

"If you're scared, just stay out here while I get the Kyomon." Zenon smirked at Meika as he strode confidently into the room.

"No way!" Meika let go of Shunei's hand and rushed in after Zenon. "ZoZo would be mad at me if I let you get the Kyomon." She blinked as Zenon pulled her to a halt. "What's wrong?" She looked up and saw that he was staring back at the nervous Shunei.

"Don't worry," Zenon smiled at Shunei. "I won't hate you, even if there is no Kyomon here." He then released Meika. "I'll give you a head start to make things fair."

Meika stuck her tongue out at Zenon, but walked ahead of him. When she was only about a foot away from the desk, she heard Gojyo's voice shouting through the house. "JoJo, what are you doing here?"

"Meika, Zenon, get out of there!" Gojyo shouted as he and Goku halted just beside Shunei. "It's a trap!"

"The old couple at the inn fessed up when we questioned them." Goku piped in.

"All the people of this village were kidnapped and brought here by a youkai named Ikaku and they're being forced to help him beat you guys." Gojyo said. "Meika, get out of that room now!"

Meika took a step to start running and gasped as spikes suddenly came out of the ceiling. The ceiling was rushing down towards her and Zenon. Meika squeezed her eyes shut. There was no way she was going to get out of this. She couldn't run out of the room fast enough and Gojyo and Goku wouldn't be able to reach her in time. She was going to die.

"Oi, open your eyes."

Meika blinked as she suddenly realized she was being held by someone very warm. She could feel herself moving even though her feet weren't touching the ground. Slowly, she looked up and was surprised to see her savior. "Zenon-san? Why'd you save me? We're enemies."

Zenon shrugged, aiming his machinegun at the youkai he saw on the ridge with all the villagers. "Letting a kid die doesn't sit well with me. Look, your friends are right over there. Do you think you can stand on your own?"

Meika nodded numbly as Zenon gently placed her on the ground. She could see the relieved looks on Gojyo and Goku's faces. As soon as she took her first running step towards them, she began crying. She barely noticed as she passed Shunei as she rushed over to Gojyo and threw herself into his arms. "I was really scared, JoJo! I thought I was going to die and that I'd never see any of you again!"

Gojyo held her close while she wailed at the top of her lungs. He looked up as youkai began leaping off the ridge while Ikaku stayed behind. "Stay close to me, Meika. You're in no shape to fight right now."

Meika shook her head, her hands trembling as she placed them on the earth. "I don't like that youkai. I want to fight too." Even though she was still crying, Meika managed to knock out a few youkai as she made the earth rise up and slam them into the side of the ridge.

"Goku, get the boss!" Gojyo shouted as he took out a few youkai.

"Stop, Goku!"

"ZoZo, HaHa!" Meika was surprised to see the two suddenly there. What surprised her more was that Sanzo had been the one to order Goku to not kill Ikaku. She blinked as a gunshot whizzed past her, Gojyo, and Goku, and straight into Ikaku's heart. "Zenon-san!"

As soon as Ikaku disappeared, the villagers began acting strangely. They all began clutching at their chest, as though they were in pain. "Shunei!" Meika heard Zenon's shout and saw him rush towards the boy. She would've run to him to if it weren't for her legs collapsing underneath her. She was still trembling from her near death experience and her adrenaline was gone. "JoJo, what's happening?" She whimpered out. She blinked as she felt familiar arms pick her up. "HaHa." She sniffled out.

"All of their souls were devoured by Ikaku." Hakkai explained, trying to sooth Meika.

"If Ikaku dies, the souls in his stomach cease to exist, and everyone will die." Sanzo added, glancing over at Zenon.

Meika finally calmed down as Sanzo and the others approached Zenon, whom was holding Shunei's still body. She tugged on Hakkai's sleeve until he placed her on the ground right beside Zenon. "Shunei…"

"Open your eyes, Shunei!" Zenon shouted, shaking the boy. "I told you not to die!"

"Shunei, you said we could play together." Meika whimpered out. She was crying again, but now, she was crying not for herself, but for the dying boy in front of her. "We didn't get to play yet…" She looked up hopefully as he opened his eyes. She reached out and grabbed his hand, much like he had done to her earlier. "Shunei…" His hand suddenly felt very cold in her grip and as soon as she loosened her hold on him, his hand slipped limply from hers.

Zenon seemed to realize this at the same time as Meika. He clutched Shunei tighter and cried.

* * *

"Don't you want to go say goodbye to Shunei?" Hakkai asked Meika softly. They were all standing beside Jeep, a few yards away from where they had buried Shunei and where Zenon was now kneeling.

Meika shook her head, clutching Hakkai's hand tighter. "It'd be rude to interrupt Zenon-san." She glanced over her shoulder as they all began piling into Jeep. Before Gojyo could hoist her up into her seat, Meika ran over to Zenon.

Zenon blinked as he felt someone tugging at the hem of his jacket. "What? Sanzo actually let you come over here?" He sighed as Meika continued pulling on his jacket until he knelt down. "Hey, if you rip this…" his voice trailed off as Meika wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Thank you for saving me." She whispered. "I'm sure Shunei and your son will be really good friends. I wish…" Meika cut herself off. She kissed Zenon's cheek and rushed back over to Jeep.

"What the hell was that?" Sanzo snapped as Gojyo leaned over the edge of Jeep and picked Meika up, depositing the little girl between himself and Goku.

"Zenon-san saved me." Meika answered. "I was just thanking him." As they drove off, Meika turned in her seat and watched as Zenon got smaller and smaller. _I wish your family were still alive. I wish that Shunei and the other villagers hadn't died. I wish…I wish that we didn't have to be enemies._


	42. Deadline

**Sakura02: I know :( I love Zenon. Why'd he have to be the enemy?**

**Thanks: WolfWings-MoonNight, CBarbie92, kaigirl16, AdaYuki, White Arc Angel, Anne Fatalism, Dilettante, Princesa de la Luna, Starfool, and Boredx2 for reviewing and being so patient with the lack of updates!**

**I didn't catch this last update, but as of March 12, this story is two years old! Thanks for everyone who has continued to read this story! I hope you'll enjoy it to the end!**

* * *

"Hey, MeiMei, what do you want to eat?" Goku asked excitedly, grinning down at the little girl clinging to his hand. They had just finished fighting a particularly large group of youkai, with Goku doing most of the work, and now they were in a little town looking for a place to eat.

Meika chewed on her lip thoughtfully. "I don't know. I just want chocolate milk. ZoZo, what do you want to eat?" She looked over her shoulder and frowned at the tense look on Sanzo's face. Releasing her grip on Goku, Meika went to Sanzo and tugged on his sleeve. "What's wrong, ZoZo? Are you upset because GoGo beat almost all the youkai today?"

"You really should loosen up a bit, Sanzo." Hakkai added.

"Yeah," Gojyo teased. "you'll ruin your complexion if you don't."

Sanzo suddenly stopped walking and pushed Meika behind him. "I don't think any of us have time to be loosening up."

Meika's eyes widened as she peered around Sanzo and saw Homura, Zenon, and Shien standing just a few feet away from them. "ZoZo, we can't fight here." Meika whispered as she saw Gojyo and Goku immediately crouch down, ready to strike.

"The kid's got a point." Zenon said lightly. "Not that we care if this town gets destroyed or not."

"That's nice because I don't really care either." Gojyo sneered. "What do you guys want today?"

Hakkai ignored Meika as she began tugging incessantly on his hand. "I doubt it is a coincidence that you three are here."

"I came to give you one last warning." Homura answered calmly. "Hand over the Maten Kyomon or else." He left the threat lingering in the air between the two groups.

Meika's stomach was in knots. Something bad was going to happen, something worse than the other times they had fought Homura and his group. "Just leave us alone! ZoZo isn't going to give you the Maten Kyomon so just go away!"

Homura closed his eyes and sighed. "If that's how you all feel, we'll take it by force. We won't be pulling our punches anymore, though. That goes for you too, Yanmei. I won't hesitate to hurt you if the situation deems it so."

Goku moved in front of Meika. "Just shut up and fight us. I'll pay you back ten times for everything you've done to us so far."

"You have until tomorrow morning." Homura said. "Give us your answer then."

"You know we'll say no anyways!" Meika shouted.

Goku nodded his head in agreement. "Fight us now!"

"I've told you all before; you shouldn't rush." Homura said calmly, his gaze focusing mostly on Sanzo.

Sanzo glared coldly at the god. "There's something I've wanted to say to you for a while now." When Homura raised an inquisitive eyebrow, Sanzo spoke again. "You're slow-going personality makes me sick."

"Have you really forgotten, Konzen?" Homura watched in mild interest as the name sparked recognition in Meika's eyes. "Have you forgotten your life in the heavens? I don't believe little Yanmei has. Of course, I'm sure for her, it's hard to forget her golden eyed prince."

Meika's stomach clenched again as the image of the boy she always dreamed about flashed before her eyes. She blinked in surprise as Sanzo of all people moved in front of her so she was out of Homura's line of sight. "ZoZo?"

"Just shut up." Sanzo hissed out. He didn't even move as Meika clung to the back of his robes.

Homura smirked. "We gods are a patient bunch. Living for so long makes one want to stretch out the exciting times." He motioned to a hill a ways from the village. "We'll be waiting there for you tomorrow morning."

"Don't expect us to be there." Gojyo sneered. "We're terrible at keeping appointments, right, Meika?" He smirked when Meika rapidly nodded her head in agreement.

"So, you're going to run?" Shien asked with no malice behind his voice.

"What?" Gojyo hissed, the amused look on his face gone.

"Oh, nothing." Shien answered. "I was merely trying to speak the way you do."

"He's just trying to bait you JoJo. Don't listen to him." Meika sighed when she looked up at Gojyo and saw the murderous look on his face. She knew that no reasoning with him would help the situation now. "I just want to sleep in for once."

"Well, enjoy yourselves tonight." Homura said as he turned away with Shien in Zenon. "This could be your last night alive after all." With those parting words, Homura and his group disappeared into the crowd.

The group lingered on the street a moment longer before resuming their search for an inn. Only Goku was excited at the prospect of getting to fight the three gods. When they finally found an inn and had sat down to eat, Goku was the only one that really ate.

"Meika, at least drink your milk." Hakkai sighed, nudging Meika's untouched glass of chocolate milk closer to the sulking girl.

"I don't want to." Meika pouted, kicking her legs stubbornly against her chair.

"They certainly are a rare kind." Hakkai said lightly, trying to lift the dark mood hanging over the group. "They came all the way here just to give us a warning."

Gojyo leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. "Either they're really confident or they aren't taking us very seriously or they're really bored."

"MeiMei, eat your dumplings. They're really good." Goku grinned as he picked one up with his chopsticks and waved it in Meika's face.

Meika couldn't help giggling and allowed Goku to feed her the dumpling. "I'm not a baby anymore, GoGo. I can feed myself." She did feel lighter now, though. Goku always managed to make her happy, no matter how angry, sad, or scared she was.

"What they want is the Maten Kyomon." Hakkai said, relieved to see that Meika had begun eating. "Knowing that gives us a way to create countermeasures."

Meika jumped as Sanzo abruptly stood up from the table. "ZoZo?"

"I don't care if they're gods or whatever." He hissed. "We eliminate whoever or whatever gets in our way. That's all there is to it." With that, he stormed out of the inn.

"Sanzo, what's wrong?" Goku asked, standing up and chasing after Sanzo.

"Meika, wait…" Hakkai sighed as Meika rushed off after the two as well. "I should've seen that coming."

Meika finally caught up to the two just outside of the town. "What's wrong, ZoZo?" Meika asked, running up and grabbing onto his sleeve. She flinched as he roughly yanked the sleeve away from her grip. Seeing what a foul mood he was in, she went to the other side and grabbed one of Goku's hands.

"Go away." Sanzo snapped. "You're both noisy pests."

Goku puffed his cheeks out indignantly. "You're always like this when you're in a bad mood. Don't take it out on MeiMei."

Sanzo could feel his eye twitching. "What?"

Goku grinned. "Never mind. To make up for you being so mean to her, buy me and MeiMei a meat bun!"

Meika's eyes lit up. "Please, ZoZo?"

"We just ate." He snapped. He suddenly pulled to a halt, Goku nearly tripping to stop beside him. "Stupid brats…" He turned on his heels and went back towards the town.

"Yay!" Meika cheered. "ZoZo is going to buy us a meat bun!"

* * *

It was late in the evening when Meika woke from her dream. She looked frantically around the room and wasn't sure whether to be relieved or saddened that she was alone. She stared blankly at the sheets pooling in her lap as she tried to recall her dream. No, not a dream; a nightmare. She blinked as she went to rub the sleep from her eyes and found that her cheeks were wet with tears.

Quietly, Meika slipped from her bed and walked down the hallway to Goku's room. She opened the door as gently as possible. "GoGo?" She whispered when she didn't see him in his bed.

"Hey, MeiMei, you couldn't sleep either?" Goku poked his head back in the room from the balcony. He smiled as Meika ran over and hugged him. "Hey, what's wrong? Why were you crying? Are you scared about tomorrow?"

Meika shook her head as Goku led her back out onto the balcony. "I had a bad dream." She clung to Goku's side as they stared up at the hill. "We're going to fight them tomorrow, right?"

"You two should be asleep."

Goku and Meika whipped around and were surprised to find Sanzo resting against the open balcony doors, a cigarette dangling from his lips. Sanzo rolled his eyes and Meika rushed over to him, but he picked her up anyways, carrying her back over to where Goku was. "You're getting to big to be held."

"No I'm not." Meika pouted. "I'm small for my age. HaHa said so."

Goku laughed, before looking back at the hill. "Hey, Sanzo, do you think it'll be clear tomorrow?"

Again, Sanzo rolled his eyes. "That settles it; you're a stupid Saru and you're a spoiled brat." He said, poking Meika in the forehead as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I just…" Goku frowned as he tried to find words for his thoughts. "I get excited when I think of him…"

"You're going to make ZoZo jealous." Meika yawned. She yelped as Sanzo flicked her on the forehead and stuck her tongue out at the priest in retaliation.

"You're not a brat the day before a field trip, you know." Sanzo said to Goku once Meika had settled back in his arms.

Goku ignored the jab. "Just watch; I'll beat him tomorrow!"

Sanzo rolled his eyes and began walking back into the room, still holding Meika. He paused in the doorway. "With all the stars you can see tonight, there shouldn't be any rain or clouds tomorrow."

"ZoZo, will you stay with me?" Meika asked as Sanzo carried her back into her room.

Sanzo was about to scold her for making him waste money on a room that wasn't going to be used, but stopped when he noticed for the first time that she had been crying. With a sigh of pure annoyance, he walked over to her bed and dropped her on it. "Stay."

"I'm not a dog!" Meika protested, but she did as she was told.

Sanzo returned a moment later with his pillow and threw it right into Meika's face. "Move."

Meika's face lit up and she immediately obeyed, moving her pillow from the center of the bed to the side so Sanzo would have room. As soon as he was in the bed, Meika latched on to him. "Thank you, ZoZo."

"Knock it off with the nicknames already. You're not a baby anymore." Sanzo said, pulling the covers over them.

Meika pouted. "But, I like my names for all of you."

"Whatever. Just go to sleep." Sanzo looked down when he got no answer and saw that Meika had indeed drifted off back to sleep. "Spoiled brat." He was glad Meika was asleep so she didn't see the corners of his mouth twitch into an almost smile.

* * *

Meika yawned as the group stood on the hill the next morning, facing down Homura, Zenon, and Shien. "It's too early."

"I told you to just wait at the inn." Hakkai sighed.

"What is your answer?" Homura asked Sanzo.

Sanzo glared at him. "Go to hell, Scum."

"Goku, you know what to do." Gojyo said.

"He's after Sanzo's Maten Kyomon." Hakkai added.

"We just have to beat them before they beat us, right?" Meika piped up, suddenly feeling very alert and awake. She was certain it had to do with the sudden charge that permeated the air. She recognized the feeling. It was the same feeling she got every time they fought a powerful enemy. She tensed as Homura stood up from the rock he had been perched on, his sword in his hand.

"Let the battle begin."

Homura had barely gotten the words out before Goku was on the attack. Meika stayed close to Sanzo, ready to protect him from Shien and Zenon. Hakkai and Gojyo remained beside her as Zenon and Shien charged towards them.

Zenon fired his machine gun at Sanzo and was surprised as Hakkai blocked his attacks with his magic. "We have methods of defending against you." Hakkai said calmly.

Shien attempted to go in from the side, his light whips lashing out towards Sanzo whom hadn't budged an inch. He too was surprised as Gojyo's weapon deflected his whips. "You didn't really think these fights were always going to be so one-sided, did you?" Gojyo sneered.

"Don't underestimate us just because we're not gods!" Meika brought spikes of earth up from under Zenon and Shien's feet, frowning as they jumped quickly away. She glanced over to where Goku and Homura were fighting and grinned as Goku was easily holding his own against Homura. "Get him, GoGo!" She frowned as Zenon blocked Goku from kicking Homura. "Cheater!"

Goku was completely unfazed by the turn of events and easily kicked Zenon away before punching Homura right in the face.

Homura smirked. "You passed the test, Son Goku."

"No!" Meika cried out as Homura punched Goku's face into the rocks beneath them. Her eyes widened as Homura was suddenly charging directly towards Sanzo. She moved protectively in front of him as Gojyo and Hakkai were detained by Shien and Zenon.

"Move." Sanzo hissed to Meika. "Move now, Meika!" He shouted as Meika stared up at him with a dumbfounded expression.

Meika barely moved out of the way in time as Homura's sword clashed with Sanzo's gun. "ZoZo…"

"I've had enough of this bullshit." Sanzo grit out as Homura leapt back and shot a wave of fire towards him.

"Ah, we can't have you trying to interfere either."

Meika gasped as Zenon was suddenly beside her and grabbed her up, before going back over to keep Gojyo in place. "Let me go!" She protested as Zenon kept her in a headlock with one arm while he pointed his machine gun at Gojyo with his other hand. Meika watched helplessly as Homura slashed Sanzo across his chest. "ZoZo!" She screamed as Homura aimed his sword at Sanzo's forehead next.

Homura smirked as the Maten Kyomon activated in order to protect Sanzo. "This is what I was waiting for." He easily grabbed the scripture and just like that, took it from the unconscious Sanzo. "General Kenren, give Son Goku a message for me. If he wants to get the Maten Kyomon back, tell him to come to the Tower of Konran. I'll be waiting."

"Homura, you bastard." Sanzo gasped out as he shakily stood to his feet. He shot a useless bullet at the god whom calmly waited for it to dissolve away before it touched him. "Bastard…" Sanzo collapsed back to the ground.

"Sanzo!" Meika slipped from Zenon's slack grip and ran over to the fallen Sanzo. "Sanzo, wake up! I'll stop calling you ZoZo if you wake up, I promise. Please wake up!" She choked out, already feeling her tears falling. She glared at Homura while the god stared impassively at them. "I hate you!"

Homura closed his eyes and turned away. "Zenon, Shien, let's go." With that, the three gods disappeared along with the Maten Kyomon.

* * *

"Meika, why don't you go outside and help Goku catch some fish." Hakkai asked softly. The group was currently resting in a small abandoned hut beside a lake. Meika was kneeling beside the bench where Sanzo was bandaged and unconscious, her arms folded to make a pillow for her head as she watched Sanzo was watery eyes.

Meika shook her head, but said nothing. She hadn't spoken since they had left the hill.

"Hey, guys, this is awesome!" Goku came in with a bright smile on his face, waving a bunch of fish around. "Look at this huge catch I got! Let's roast them for dinner! They look really good! MeiMei, come help me count them!"

Meika didn't move at first and simply stared at Goku. After he waved her over again, though, she moved and went to sit by him. She was completely limp as Goku pulled her into his lap.

Goku wasn't phased at all as he counted happily by himself. "There's eleven so we can each have two!" He frowned thoughtfully. "There's one extra, though…" He grinned suddenly and hugged Meika. "You and I can split it, MeiMei! Does that sound good! You like fish, right?"

Meika tried to remain impassive, but couldn't help giggling as Goku began tickling her. "Stop it, GoGo!"

"Nope." Goku grinned as he tickled her mercilessly.

"JoJo, save me!" Meika screamed out as tears rolled down her cheeks and she laughed uncontrollably.

Gojyo and Hakkai exchanged looks before Gojyo grinned. "Hey, quit picking on my baby girl!"

"These trout certainly look tasty." Hakkai said lightly.

After the group had eaten, they all settled in to sleep. Meika and Goku had left three of the trout for Sanzo beside the unconscious man. Meika curled up in Gojyo's lap and closed her eyes, willing herself to fall asleep.

"Can't sleep?" Hakkai asked Goku softly as the boy turned over on his side.

"Sanzo will be okay, right?" Goku asked, his happy face from earlier gone.

"Of course." Hakkai said with a light smile.

Meika clutched tightly to Gojyo's shirt. "I don't want ZoZo to die…"

"Hey, now, he's not going to die." Gojyo tilted Meika's face up and grinned at the little girl. "When he wakes up, I'm going to beat him good for worrying you."

Meika smiled shakily back at him. She snuggled closer to him and was eventually able to fall into a fitful sleep.

* * *

"When's Daddy coming back?" Yanmei huffed as she attempted to carry a large stack of books over to a bookshelf. She yelped as the stack toppled and hit her on the head.

Tenpou laughed and helped her stand up. "He should be back soon."

"Tenchan!" Goku shouted excitedly as he ran over and hugged Tenpou, Konzen frowning as he trailed in.

"Konzen-chan!" Yanmei beamed and ran over to the irritated god, giving him a hug.

"Yanmei-chan!" Goku rushed over and tackled Yanmei to the ground, wrapping her in a tight hug. "I missed you so much!"

Yanmei giggled. "You're being silly. We played together yesterday." Yanmei resumed helping Tenpou organize his books with Konzen and Goku now helping.

"Hey, Yanmei-chan, where's Ken-nichan?" Goku asked as they were taking a break.

"There was a military roll call so he had to go." Yanmei sighed sadly.

Konzen frowned at Tenpou. "Why aren't you at the roll call?"

"The order was simply for Nataku's army so…" Tenpou cut himself off when he saw the saddened looks on the children's faces. "He's still recovering I heard."

"Not that those higher ups care." Konzen said.

"Hey, can I borrow this book!" Goku suddenly popped up in Tenpou's face, waving a children's book around excitedly.

Yanmei's eyes lit up. "I love that book!"

Konzen raised an eyebrow as Tenpou nodded his approval. "Since when are either of you interested in books?"

"It's not just any book." Yanmei scolded. "It's the best book in the world!"

"It's awesome!" Goku's eyes were practically sparkling as he spoke. "This meat bun rides around on a steel box fighting evil!"

"He gets friends like a pizza bun, a curry bun, and a sweet-bean-jam bun that join him too!" Yanmei piped up. She blinked as Goku yanked her down to sit by him and the two became completely absorbed in the book, ignoring Konzen and Tenpou's conversation.

* * *

"Why can't we see him?" Yanmei protested to the woman standing outside Nataku's room.

"We haven't gotten to see him at all lately!" Goku added. "Is he doing that bad?"

The woman looked nervously at the two children. I'm afraid so. I feel bad with the two of you coming here everyday."

"Can you give these to him then?" Yanmei and Goku asked as they both held out flower wreaths. When the woman smiled and took them, Yanmei and Goku skipped off, missing the cold look that passed the woman's face as she threw them away.

"Hey, Yanmei-chan, where's Ken-nichan?" Goku asked. He frowned as Yanmei suddenly stopped walking, a worried look on her face.

"I don't know. I hope he's okay." She twisted her hands nervously. She blinked as Goku grabbed her hand.

"Let's go see Tenchan!" Goku said with a grin.

Yanmei smiled and nodded, allowing Goku to drag her towards Tenpou's room. She was rather surprised by what she saw when she opened the door. "Daddy!"

Kenren winced as Yanmei flung herself into his arms. "Careful now, Yanmei. Daddy's injured."

"What happened to you?" Yanmei asked, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.

"Your father doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut." Tenpou said. "Goku, bandage him up."

Yanmei sat by her father's side as Goku bandaged Kenren tightly up. Well, more accurately, bandaged him up to the chair so he couldn't go anywhere. "You smarted off to the higher ups again, didn't you?"

"Ouch that hurts!" Kenren shouted as Goku yanked on the bandages. "I didn't smart off, I stated my mind."

"Ignore him, Goku." Tenpou said coldly. "Bandage him as tightly as possible."

Kenren glared over at Tenpou. "You have some kind of grudge against me now too?"

"Goodness no." Tenpou sighed out. "I feel sympathetic towards you more than anything. Due to your concern for another, you advised the Jade Emperor rather recklessly, received physical punishment harsh enough to break your ribs, and yet still you joke. I feel pity for the subordinates of such a dumb general."

"Your ribs are broken?" Yanmei cried out.

"Could you not say that in front of my kid!" Kenren shouted. "I can't help it; it's the way I am." He blinked as Yanmei rested her head against his leg. He gave her a small smile while she stared pitifully up at him. "Hey now, Daddy's okay. It'll take more than a few broken ribs to break your daddy."

"Even so, it was foolish of you to make Li Touten your enemy." Tenpou sighed out. "You were dismissed from your post earlier."

"Really?" Kenren asked, completely unfazed.

Yanmei shuddered at the dark look that clouded Tenpou's face. "Tenchan?"

"I can't work under just anyone." He hissed as he stormed towards the door. He smiled as he opened the door. "I'm going out for a bit. The injured should stay here and be quiet. Goku, Yanmei, keep a close eye on him."

"Yes sir!" Goku and Yanmei said in unison. Yanmei giggled as her father vehemently protested. "That's what you get for being a dummy."

As soon as the door was shut, Kenren looked at the two children seriously. "Goku, Yanmei, I want you two to go after Tenpou for me."

"We're on watch duty." Yanmei protested.

"Listen to me!" Kenren snapped. He sighed as Yanmei flinched in surprise. "I know he doesn't look it, but Tenpou is more impulsive than even me."

Goku tilted his head and looked at Yanmei questioningly. "What does impulsive mean."

Kenren groaned in irritation as Yanmei shrugged. "It means he flies off the handle even easier than I do." He smirked as Yanmei's eyes widened in alarm.

"Goku-chan we have to hurry!" Yanmei shouted. "Tenchan is about to do something really stupid!" She grabbed Goku's hand and the two rushed after Tenpou. By the time they reached Li Touten's office, they found Li Touten holding Tenpou up by his hair.

"Don't touch Tenchan!" Yanmei shouted as she kicked Li Touten in the head while Goku punched him.

Tenpou's eyes widened in surprise. "Goku, Yanmei, what are you two doing here?" He asked as he picked his glasses up from the ground.

"Daddy told us to come get you." Yanmei said with a grin.

"He told us to bring you back." Goku added. He glared at Li Touten as the man stood up. "I won't let you pick on Tenchan." He grabbed Yanmei's hand. "Let's go, Tenchan, Yanmei."

Li Touten stared at the two for a moment. "Ah, so you're Yanmei. I've been told my son says your name in his sleep on occasion. I didn't realize Nataku knew such a disgraceful child."

Yanmei stiffened. She turned to say something biting to Li Touten, but was stopped by Tenpou dragging her out of the room. "Tenchan…"

"Ignore him, Yanmei." Tenpou said lightly. "I wonder how your father would feel knowing a boy was dreaming about you." He laughed at the blush that dusted Yanmei's cheeks.

"Nataku-chan is just my friend!" Yanmei protested.

"Of course he is." Tenpou teased. "Let's go get your father and pay a visit to Konzen."

"I'm serious!" Yanmei whined. "Don't tell Daddy!"

* * *

Konzen glared furiously at the group. "What the hell have you two done now?" He asked Kenren and Tenpou.

Tenpou laughed lightly. "We decided to have a pro-wrestling match."

"Don't I look even better now?" Kenren said with a grin.

Konzen looked between Goku and Yanmei whom was holding her father's hand. "What about you two?"

Yanmei and Goku looked at each other and shrugged. "It's a secret so we don't know." Goku said.

Konzen glowered at Tenpou and Kenren. "Don't drag them into anything weird. Anyways, I'm sure you didn't just come here to show me your beat up faces. What do you want?"

"The army just issued a summons." Kenren said. "It seems Nataku-sama has returned. Why don't we all go greet him." He didn't miss the way Yanmei's eyes lit up. "Maybe you should stay here…"

"No way, Daddy!" Yanmei shouted, grabbing Goku's hand. "Let's go, Goku-chan!"

"My baby is rebelling!" Kenren whined as he raced after the two children.

Goku and Yanmei pushed their way through the crowd. "Nataku-chan!" Yanmei shouted excitedly as she saw Nataku approaching. Her shouting mixed with Goku's as Nataku looked up at the two of them. She felt her face heat up as Nataku grinned at them. She blinked as Li Touten suddenly reached out and touched his shoulder.

"Nataku? Nataku!" Goku shouted as Nataku suddenly lowered his head and walked passed them without saying anything or even a second glance.

"Nataku-chan!"

* * *

Meika sat up abruptly in her sleep, wiping the tears instinctively from her eyes. It was the same dream. The golden eyed boy that always reached for her had suddenly retracted his hand. She looked blearily around and saw everyone was still sound asleep. She stood up from her spot beside Gojyo and walked outside to sit by the lake.

Idly she threw rocks into the water and watched all the ripples. She didn't move when she heard someone walk up beside her until she felt a hand on her head. Thinking it was Gojyo or Hakkai, she looked up and felt her throat close up. She stood up and immediately latched onto Sanzo's waist, sniffling softly into his bandaged stomach.

Sanzo placed a hand on Meika's head. Before he could say anything, he heard his name being called and saw Goku standing there with tears in his eyes. "What's wrong? Did you two both have a bad dream or something?" He rolled his eyes as he felt Meika crying on him and tears fell from Goku's eyes. "Why the hell are you two crying?"

"Because…" Meika choked out.

"I caught some really tasty fish yesterday, you know." Goku sniffled out. "I wanted to eat them with everyone, but you wouldn't wake up."

Meika blinked as Sanzo willingly picked her up without her having to ask and walked over to Goku. She grinned through her tears as Sanzo roughly ruffled Goku's hair.

"It's just dinner you idiot." Sanzo said. "Let's go."

Meika wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'll keep my promise to you, Sanzo. I'll call you by your name from now on."

"It's okay." Sanzo said softly so the others didn't hear. "It's okay if you call me that stupid nickname a little longer. You aren't going to be a kid forever after all."

Meika's eyes widened before she grinned and hugged Sanzo. "I love you so much, ZoZo!"

"Knock it off!" Sanzo barked.

As the sun rose over the mountains around them, the group prepared to leave, ready for whatever would come there way next.


	43. The Fight Begins

**I am so sorry for my long absence everyone! It was the end of the semester and Physics was kicking my butt. I'm all done now with the Spring semester so updates should be much more frequent :) Thank you all for your patience and continued support!**

**Sakura02: Lol, this Homura isn't pretty enough to be in a Yuu Watase manga :P**

**AdaYuki: Don't worry! I'm going to continue this story through Reload and Gunlock as well! Meika-chan won't be disappearing anytime soon!**

**White Arc Angel: She's still six right now. She'll have her birthday later in the story.**

**Thank you: kaigirl16, Anne Fatalism Dilettante, KaKashiisWifey, Princesa de la Luna, and Mistress Ratchet for reviewing!**

* * *

"So…that's the Tower of Konran?" Meika asked quietly as Hakkai pulled Jeep to a stop before a large, black tower. Instinctively, she clutched onto Goku's sleeve. "I don't like it…"

Goku grinned down at her. "Don't worry, MeiMei! This'll be fun!"

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "Let's go."

Meika yelped as Hakkai slammed onto the gas and sped straight towards the tower. She clung tighter to Goku as he shouted with excitement.

"Hakkai, charge straight in." Sanzo ordered.

"That's the plan." Hakkai said, his smile never leaving his face.

Goku wrapped his arms around Meika as they drew closer and closer to the entrance of the tower. "Hold on tight, MeiMei!"

Meika buried her face is Goku's shirt as they broke through the front door. Once Hakkai had brought Jeep to a skidding halt, Meika released Goku, a shaky grin on her face. "That was kind of fun." She looked around the entry of the tower with confusion. "No one's here…"

"A trap?" Hakkai and the others were beginning to look around as well.

"It doesn't matter whether it's a trap or not." Sanzo said coolly as he stepped out of Jeep.

Goku jumped out as well before reaching back into Jeep and helping Meika out. He straightened as he suddenly felt a presence in front of them, as did the others. "They're here…but…it's not Homura or the others…"

Meika frowned as well, already crouching down and ready to attack. "Who's there?"

"I've been waiting for you, Genjo Sanzo and company." A deep voice sneered from the shadows. A youkai stepped from the shadows wearing a military uniform and a chakra on his forehead. "My name is Gairu, leader of the Holy Youkai Army. By Homura-sama's orders, I am to kill you."

Meika huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Well that's just rude. Homura invited us here and he's not even going to say hello." She looked at Hakkai for support. "That's rude, isn't it?"

Hakkai nodded. "Yes, very much so." He moved to take a step forward.

"I cannot allow that." Gairu snapped his fingers and suddenly, hundreds of youkai appear. "You will die here."

Sanzo drew his gun as the others drew their own weapons, ready to fight. "That's enough from you, you delusional small fry. Move out of the way. Our business is not with you, but with Homura."

Gairu sneered. "And if I say no?"

"Then we're going to kick your ass." Meika shot back.

Hakkai was about to chastise Meika for her language when Gairu sent his army to attack them. "Meika, stay…" He sighed as she was already off slaying youkai that tried to attack her. "My, they grow up so fast." He shot a blast at a youkai that attempted to sneak up on him from behind.

"Get sentimental and weepy later." Sanzo said coolly, easily killing the youkai stupid enough to charge at him head on.

Meika grinned as she knocked down yet another youkai that attempted to attack her. "This is easy!" She looked around for anymore attacking youkai and frowned when she saw they were all dead. She pouted and ran over to Goku. "That was boring."

Sanzo pointed his gun at Gairu. "All that's left is to deal with you."

Gairu smirked. "Are you sure?"

Meika screamed and latched onto Gojyo as the youkai they had killed rose up, ready to fight again. "They're zombies! I don't wanna get eaten!"

Gairu laughed. "Homura-sama bestowed eternal life and absolute power upon us. There's no way lowly scum such as you can stop us."

The group immediately stood with their backs to each other as the newly risen youkai slowly came towards them. Meika was prepared to launch as many water dragons as necessary at the youkai so they could reach Homura. "This is cheating!"

"Never mind that now, Meika." Hakkai said patiently as they once again began fighting.

Meika alternated between using her magic and physical attacks to fight the youkai that attacked her. Her breathing was becoming ragged as she moved back to stand in the circle with Sanzo and the others. "How can we kill them…I mean, kill them for real?"

"We'll either have to chop them into tiny enough pieces that they can't resurrect or destroy them at the molecular level." Hakkai explained. "It's a perfect tactic for buying time."

"Homura…" Sanzo snarled, still shooting at the oncoming youkai.

Meika was about to begin another attack when a strong energy from above them knocked her to her knees. "What…?"

"MeiMei, are you okay?" Goku stood protectively in front of Meika until she managed to stand on her own. "What the hell is that energy?"

"It's coming from above." Gojyo shouted.

Sanzo straightened up from shooting more youkai. "It seems their talk of destroying the Heavens wasn't a lie."

"Well then, we really have no time to waste." Hakkai said.

Meika shivered as she thought of the golden eyed boy. "We've got to stop them!"

Gojyo snarled as they once again killed more of the youkai they had already killed. "Nobody likes persistent guys, especially when they're weak. Meika, don't you ever bring a boy home unless he can beat all four of us."

Meika pouted. "But…then I can never bring a boy home!"

"Exactly." Gojyo said with a smirk.

"Sanzo, what should we do?" Goku asked.

Hakkai spoke up before Sanzo could say anything. "I actually have an idea." When everyone turned to him, Hakkai smiled brightly. "Leave this to me and the rest of you head upstairs." He blinked as Meika suddenly latched onto him. He smiled as the little girl buried her face in his pant leg. "Meika…"

"What a brilliant plan." Sanzo said calmly as he reloaded his gun. He ignored the incredulous look Meika sent him.

"Isn't it?" Hakkai asked, still smiling. He smoothed Meika's hair down as he felt her grip on him tighten. "I thought it to be a rather grand idea myself."

Sanzo finally stopped loading his bullets. "Are you being serious?"

Hakkai's smile never faltered. "I didn't say it completely in jest."

"HaHa, you can't." Meika looked up at him pleadingly. She struggled against him as he pried her away from him. "I'll stay with you. I'll help you."

Hakkai shook his head and pushed Meika over to Gojyo who barely caught her before she fell. "There's no time. Leave things here to me and go on ahead."

"Are you crazy?" Gojyo hissed, though he kept a firm grip on Meika so she couldn't run back to Hakkai. "What are you going to do on your own?"

"Don't worry. I alone will be enough to deal with things down here." Hakkai smiled at Meika. "Trust me, Meika, Gojyo, Goku."

Meika looked between Sanzo and Goku who were already over at the door and back over to Hakkai. She bit her lip to keep her tears at bay and instead clung to Gojyo. She nodded her head. "Okay…"

Gojyo began walking over to Sanzo and Goku with Meika in tow. "We'll leave things here to you then."

Hakkai smiled. "Oh, Meika?"

Meika turned and blinked as Hakuryuu suddenly flew over to her. She quickly caught him in her arms. "HaHa?"

Hakkai smiled at Meika. "Take care of Hakuryuu for me." He and Gojyo exchanged a brief look, silently communicating something with each other that Meika didn't understand.

Meika again nodded before turning and rushing over to where Goku and Sanzo had already gone through the door with Gojyo following close behind. "Don't you dare die, HaHa!"

Hakkai smiled and waved. "I'll catch right up with all of you as soon as I'm done here."

Meika's lower lip quivered as they continued on without Hakkai. She held Hakuryuu tightly to her and buried her face in him when she was about to sniffle. She didn't even flinch as she felt a gentle hand on her head. "He'll be okay, right, JoJo?"

Gojyo ruffled Meika's hair and smiled even though she never looked up at him. "Yeah."

"We're here." Sanzo said as they came to another door. "Let's go."

"No!" Goku stomped his foot for emphasis.

Sanzo whipped around. "What?"

"How could you just leave Hakkai behind like that?" Goku shouted.

"He volunteered." Sanzo grit out.

"So?" Meika finally piped up, angry tears spilling down her cheeks. "We should've stopped him! I should've stayed behind with him! We should've…"

"That's enough!" Sanzo snapped, silencing both Goku and Meika. "Weren't the two of you listening to what he said?"

Meika felt her chest tighten as she remembered Hakkai asking her to trust him. She sniffled, doing her best to fight back anymore tears that tried to fall. She did trust Hakkai, with all her heart. She blinked as Gojyo's hand was once again on his head while his other was on Goku's shoulder.

Gojyo grinned at the two. "He said he'd catch right up, remember?"

Sanzo turned back towards the door. "Let's go."

Goku looked over his shoulder at the way they had come for a moment. He didn't even look down when he felt Meika's hand grab his own. "He'll be okay, MeiMei."

Meika's worries about Hakkai were briefly forgotten as Gojyo kicked open the door to reveal a large banquet laid out on a long table. "Wow…" She blinked as Goku began running towards the food and promptly received a smack on the head from Sanzo's fan. She was grateful that she hadn't begun running towards the food as she'd so desperately wanted to. She knelt beside Goku and poked him in the head. "Are you okay, GoGo?"

Sanzo glowered suspiciously around the room, looking for enemies. "What game are you playing?"

Suddenly, a group of men with chakras on their foreheads appeared. The leader smiled brightly at them. "Don't worry; it hasn't been poisoned. It's simply an act of kindness to allow all of you to enjoy your last supper."

"JoJo, I'm not hungry anymore." Meika said as Hakuryuu settled on her shoulder.

Sanzo glared at the group and pointed his gun threateningly at them. "Here's my thanks for your kindness." He frowned as the bullet dissolved before it hit the man. "Gods, huh…"

"We are Homura-sama's personal body guards." The man said. "We accompanied Homura-sama from the Heavens and descended upon this place with him. We will gladly give our lives for Homura-sama. Now then, please take your seats."

"JoJo, where are you going?" Meika asked as he walked towards the gods, a furious look on his face.

Goku whined as Gojyo suddenly kicked over the table and ruined all the food. "How could you waste all that delicious food, you pervy water sprite?"

"I hate guys like you." Gojyo hissed, completely ignoring Goku.

Meika blinked as Sanzo grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the door on the other side of the room. "ZoZo?" She gasped as Gojyo released his weapon right in front of Goku's face. Realization of what was happening began sinking in as Gojyo told Goku to get lost.

"Don't let that creep touch Meika, okay?" Gojyo whispered to Goku as the boy began walking off.

"I'm not chanting any sutras for you if you die." Sanzo shouted to Gojyo.

"Be careful, JoJo!" Meika yelled to him. "You better hurry up and catch up to us too, okay? Promise?"

Gojyo grinned at Meika as she, Goku, and Sanzo walked through the door. "I promise." The door closed on Gojyo's grinning face.

The three had been running up countless flights of stairs when Sanzo finally paused. Goku looked around curiously, still holding onto Meika's hand. "It's really quiet."

"Then maybe you should be quiet too." Sanzo said.

"But, I'm bored." Goku whined. "There haven't been any enemies lately."

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "You're too laid back. Consider our situation." He sighed irritably when he saw Meika's worried face. "Anyways, the fact the fact that we're in such a quiet area means we're close to our goal." He kicked the door in front of them open.

"Homura!" Meika gasped out along with Goku as they found him sitting on a throne like chair at the end of the long room. Meika tensed as Zenon and Shien appeared as well.

"I heard something of mine was being held here." Sanzo said, glaring at Homura.

Homura remained seated in his chair. "Could you mean the Kyomon?"

"Nice of you to catch on so quick." Sanzo hissed.

Homura shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll give you the Kyomon in exchange for Son Goku and Yanmei."

"There's nobody here called Yanmei!" Meika shouted. "It's Meika! M-e-i-k-a!" She moved protectively in front of a shocked looking Goku. "And you aren't taking GoGo!" She stiffened as Homura finally stood up and began walking towards them. She was rather surprised when Sanzo began shooting round after round at Homura.

"I've told you before that that doesn't work on me." Homura said coolly, his pace never slowing. He barely had time to slip away when Sanzo shot a chandelier down onto the place he had just been standing. He smirked as he appeared behind Sanzo. "You certainly leave me no time to lower my guard."

"Hakuryuu!" Meika shouted as the tiny dragon flew at Homura in attempt to help Sanzo. "Let him go!" She cried as Homura grabbed Hakuryuu by his throat and flung him into a wall. Chains appeared from the wall and held Hakuryuu firmly in place.

"You too." He sneered at Sanzo as he threw him into the wall as well.

"ZoZo!" Meika shouted. She began running over to him when she saw something bright flying towards her. She turned around in time to see Shien's whips flying towards her; there was nothing she could do.

Goku moved in front of Meika, blocking Shien's attack. "You okay, MeiMei?"

Meika nodded slowly. She looked up and saw Zenon attempting to attack Goku from the air. She glared at the god and quickly summoned a water dragon which shot Zenon back into the ceiling before slamming him into the ground. She grinned as Goku slammed the end of his Nyoi-bou into Shien's stomach. "Don't underestimate us." She hissed at Homura. She frowned as Zenon and Shien got up, surrounding her and Goku along with Homura.

"This is exactly what I've been hoping for." Homura said softly.

Everything that happened next happened to fast for Meika to process. The three attacked at once, knocking her out before moving onto Goku. She laid on the floor, her vision blurring as she watched them knock Goku out. "Go…ku…" She reached out to him with her hand but was stopped by someone hoisting her over their shoulder.

"Well then, let's go create the new world." Homura said as he picked Goku up as well and walked away.

Meika tried to shake off the fog that was clouding her mind. She struggled weakly against Homura. The last thing she saw was Zenon aiming his gun at Sanzo before she completely blacked out.


	44. Homura's Plan

**Sakura02: Haha, indeed.**

**Thanks: KakashiisWifey, AdaYuki, Saiyuri Haruno, White Arc Angel, LilyT93, Yami Mizuna, Mistress Ratchet, Anne Fatalism Dilettante, and Princesa de la Luna for your reviews!**

* * *

Meika gasped awake as a sudden pain lanced through her chest. She looked around frantically, hoping everything that had happened that day was just a dream. When she looked up to find Homura with a tight grip on her arm and Goku writhing in pain in his youkai form in the middle of magical circle and an ominous black hole opening above him, she knew that it hadn't been a dream. She struggled weakly in Homura's grasp. "Let Goku go. Stop hurting him."

Homura smiled down at her and stood up, pulling Meika to her feet. "Do you remember, Yanmei, what the Jade Emperor was planning to do with you?"

"I've told you a thousand times; I'm not Yanmei!" Meika shouted furiously. "What do you want from Goku and me?"

"Son Goku's thirst and rage will help to create the new Heaven and Earth. You, Yanmei, are needed to help channel Son Goku's energy and mold the new world into my vision." Homura explained. He gasped suddenly and clutched his chest as he fell to his knees.

Without thinking, Meika reached out and put a hand on Homura's shoulder. "Please stop this, Homura. I'm sorry for whatever made you hate this world so much, but you can't just destroy it."

"Yanmei, wouldn't you love to live in a world where you weren't considered a taboo child? Where your mother wouldn't have abandoned you in a trash can? What about a world where you could have stayed with Nataku forever?" He smirked as Meika's eyes widened. "You've been dreaming about it, haven't you? Your life before this one."

Meika glanced over as the black hole above Goku became pure white before revealing a slowly developing world. She didn't flinch away as Homura placed his hands on her shoulders. She had always wondered what her life would be like if her mother hadn't abandoned her in that trash can.

Homura smiled. "Help me to mold this world into one where everyone can be truly free, Yanmei."

If her mother hadn't abandoned her in the trash can, she never would've met Goku, Sanzo, Hakkai, and Gojyo. She never would've grown up knowing Hakkai's patient love, Gojyo's fatherly protectiveness, Goku's bright smile, or Sanzo's odd and gruff way of showing he cared. She wouldn't have met Kougaiji or any of his group. She glanced over her shoulder at Homura and smiled. "This world is really painful and sometimes you get hurt really bad. Even so, I love this world and all the people in my life. Even though I'm a taboo child and there are people that hate me, even though my mother and father abandoned me and didn't want me, I'm really happy. I love the family I have and I wouldn't trade them for anything. Not even a new world."

Homura opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. The world that had been revealed the orb above Goku had suddenly turned into a golden pair of doors inside the orb. What made him stop, though, was that Goku was rising up, a wicked smirk on his face. He shoved Meika out of the way as Goku suddenly leapt into the air to attack.

"Goku, stop!" Meika shouted as Goku grabbed Homura's shoulder and shoved him into the wall, scraping deep gouges into Homura's shoulder. She tensed as Goku briefly turned his attention to her.

"Meika, what are you doing?"

Meika whipped around and her eyes lit up briefly. "Kou-san! ZoZo!" Her joy was short lived as Goku suddenly leapt away from Homura's injured form and punched Kougaiji right in the face. Everything was happening so fast that she didn't know how to react or what she should do. When Goku knocked Sanzo to the ground, Meika ran over and latched onto Goku's arm. "Please stop, Goku! Don't hurt Sanzo!"

Goku glanced down at the small girl attached to him, looking at him with watery, desperate eyes. A brief flicker of something Meika didn't recognize flashed through his eyes as he knelt down in front of her. _"My…MeiMei…sorry…"_ He suddenly stiffened and snarled as Kougaiji grabbed Sanzo's fallen gun and held it up. He pulled Meika close to his side as Kougaiji shot the gun, easily deflecting it with one hand. He glanced down as he skidded back to ensure Meika was okay. Once he was sure she was, he smiled confidently, almost mockingly at Kougaiji.

Sanzo frowned as he stood up. "Get back." Sanzo hissed at Kougaiji. "Brats need to be punished." He frowned as Goku's grip on Meika tightened and hesitantly, he glanced down at the gun.

Kougaiji ignored him and walked forward. "I already told you; I'm getting my pride back."

As Kougaiji began charging towards Goku, Goku nudged Meika away from himself before charging at Kougaiji as well.

Meika was so focused on Kougaiji and Goku's fight that she didn't notice Homura was beside her until he had a hold of her arm was pulling her towards the orb in the center of the room which was slowly morphing and growing. She struggled against his grip. "Let me go."

"Oi, let go of the brat." Sanzo said, never turning his attention from the fight between Kougaiji and Goku. "That's my property you're trying to take."

Homura smirked. "Sorry, but I need her to finish creating my new world." His smirk widened as a sudden powerful wave of energy reached them from the floor below. "You're friends are going to die."

Sanzo frowned. "They aren't my friends; they're my servants."

Meika was about to scold Sanzo for his cruel comment when one of the energies suddenly dramatically decreased. "Homura, please stop this. Shien is hurt really badly. This new world you're trying to create is hurting lots of people. Please stop now before it's too late." She flinched as a loud explosion from below caused the entire tower to shake and then Shien's energy disappeared. She shuddered in fear as a dark and malevolent energy permeated throughout the tower. "Even Zenon-san…" She blinked as the golden doors behind them slowly began opening.

"Wait." Sanzo said. "Aren't you going to watch this joke you set up?"

Homura smirked as he continued to drag Meika towards the open doors. "I'll let you clean up this mess."

"Meika, be patient for a little longer. Don't let that bastard use you. Understand?" Sanzo asked, the barest waver of concern creeping into his voice.

"Yes." Meika said as Homura began walking towards the doors again.

"You better be prepared for when I get done here." Sanzo hissed before walking towards Goku whom had finally grown bored with pummeling Kougaiji.

Meika closed her eyes against the bright light as Homura stepped through the door with her. Slowly, she opened her eyes when Homura's grip slipped from her arm to hold her hand. Meika couldn't help but to gasp at the beautiful flower field sprawled out before her. She blinked as Homura knelt in front of her, moving her hair from her face and gently cupping her cheek.

"Yanmei, you were born with a wonderful gift. You have the ability to will anything you wish into life. The Jade Emperor coveted that gift of yours. I want you to use that power to help me bring this new world into life."

Meika looked around as the world slowly formed from not just the flower field, but mountains and sky appeared as well. It was a beautiful and serene world. "That seems pretty stupid to give that kind of power to a kid." She searched Homura's eyes for a moment. "I'll die, won't I."

Homura closed his eyes before nodding. "Yes. But, you will be reborn into this world. You will have a new life, I promise you."

"Get your hands off my MeiMei!"

Meika's eyes lit up as Goku and Sanzo suddenly appeared. Homura straightened up, releasing his grip on Meika and allowing her to rush over to Goku and Sanzo. "You're okay!" She shouted as she hugged Goku tightly. "I was scared…I was scared you two weren't going to be okay!"

Goku grinned and hugged Meika back. "Don't cry, MeiMei. We've gotta stop this guy first, okay?" He glared at Homura as Meika wiped the unshed tears from her eyes. "I won't accept this world."

"I'm sure." Homura said, bringing his sword out. "This new Heaven and Earth will eventually swallow the old one." He motioned to a large boulder glowing an almost blinding blue. "As soon as that boulder has reached its critical point and Yanmei has given this world stability, this world will be complete."

"You think we're going to sit by and let you do that?" Hissed Goku. "We won't let you have your way!"

Homura frowned. "Why not? What don't you like about this place?"

Meika raised her hand. "I don't like that I have to die for it."

"Very well." Homura sighed in annoyance as Sanzo and Goku glared at him while Meika was already crouching down in her attack stance. "Come at me then!"


	45. The End of Homura

**Happy Fourth of July everyone! This is it; the last chapter of the Homura Arc. Next update, we will resume following the Saiyuki manga!**

**Sakura02: Please, she grew up with Sanzo. Nothing can scare or intimidate her!**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: It's okay. I completely understand. Summer jobs can seriously kick some ass**

**Thank you: Sayuri Haruno, Anne Fatalism Dilettante, AdaYuki, LilyT93, KaKashiisWifey, Mistress Ratchet, and Princesa de la Luna for reviewing!**

* * *

"Sanzo, MeiMei, I want to be the one to defeat him." Goku said boldly, already prepared to being fighting Homura.

Sanzo turned his back and looked up at the glowing rock, not saying anything to Goku. He looked down when he felt Meika grab his sleeve to find her watching the fight between Homura and Goku with worried eyes. "What've I told you about worrying? Idiots will be idiots. Let him do what he wants."

Meika shook her head. "I can't help worrying. I don't just worry about GoGo." Meika said softly, watching as Goku was clearly winning the fight. Even when Homura attempted to attack him with a fire dragon, Goku tore through it and rained punches down on the god. "I worry about you, HaHa, and JoJo too. You're my family. I can't help it."

Sanzo rolled his eyes. He too turned his attention to the fight in time to see Goku land a particularly hard punch on Homura's face. He walked over to Goku with Meika still attached to him, glancing casually over at the fallen god. "Are you satisfied now?"

"You did it, GoGo!" Meika shouted excitedly. She ran over and hugged Goku as he collapsed to his knees. "I knew you could beat him."

"MeiMei, I'm hungry!" Goku whined, resting his head on top of Meika's.

"I'll let you eat all you want once we get out of here." Sanzo muttered.

"It seems everything has already been settled here." Hakkai smiled wearily as Meika rushed over to Gojyo and himself. He could see the worry in Meika's big red eyes when she saw how badly bloodied and beaten the both of them were. Seeing Gojyo having to support him probably didn't help matters. "It's okay, Meika. We're both all right."

Gojyo grinned as Meika hugged him around his waist. "I told you we'd catch up. More importantly, did that bastard hurt you?"

Meika shook her head rapidly. "No! He wanted me to use this magical power I apparently have to make things I wish real, but if I did, I would die, and I didn't want to, and I told him so, but he tried to promise I would be reincarnated, but I didn't believe him."

"Breathe, idiot, breathe." Sanzo grit out as he and Goku came over.

Hakkai smiled at Goku. "You did well, Goku."

Goku grinned proudly. "Of course!"

Meika looked around at the beautiful world around them. "We can't just leave this place, can we?"

Sanzo gave a curt nod as he pulled out his gun. He looked over at the glowing blue rock for a moment before firing a single bullet into the center of the rock. Once again, he felt Meika clinging to his sleeve as they all stood and watched the blue glow disappear and a black swirling cloud appear over the rock. As the petals of the flowers began swirling around them and going up into the black cloud, Sanzo turned away. "Let's go."

Meika felt a cold shudder wash through her as they turned to leave. Something was horribly wrong. "Zo…"

"Wait." Homura said, pulling himself to his feet. "This isn't over yet."

It wasn't the confident smirk on Homura's face that sent a shudder of fear through Meika, but the sound of the chains that had once bound his wrist together falling loudly to the ground. "ZoZo…"

"All of you, stand back." Goku said, his grin never leaving his face.

"GoGo, it's really dangerous!" Meika protested.

"She's right." Hakkai added while Gojyo grumbled at Goku to quit acting so cool.

Sanzo sighed irritably. He placed a hand roughly on Meika's head. "All of you shut up and stay back. He doesn't need anyone holding him down." Quietly, so no one but Meika could hear, Sanzo continued. "We're not lucky enough for him to die here."

Meika couldn't help giggling at that. "GoGo, kick his butt!"

"I will!" Goku promised. His grin disappeared as Homura was suddenly before him. Before Goku could defend himself, Homura punched him in the face and sent him flying into the giant rock which was crushed on impact.

"Goku!" Meika shouted as Homura continued pummeling Goku. When she moved to go after him, Sanzo grabbed her hand. "We have to help him! This fight isn't fair."

Sanzo simply shook his head impatiently. When Homura punched Goku away from himself and began clutching at his chest painfully, Sanzo allowed his grip on Meika's hand to loosen enough for the little girl to run over to Goku. He followed close behind her. "Let go of your reservations, Goku."

"Reservations?" Meika asked curiously, looking up at Sanzo from her kneeling place beside Goku. "GoGo, what reservations is he talking about? Like the ones at really fancy restaurants?" She yelped as Sanzo whapped her lightly on her head.

Sanzo rolled his eyes for what felt like the millionth time that day. "Give Homura exactly what he wants."

"You noticed it, right, MeiMei?" Goku asked softly, looking at the little girl beside him. He stood up, a grim expression on his face as he faced Homura whom was still clutching his chest as he stumbled towards Goku and the others.

Meika watched the god as he approached. Her eyes saddened. "Yeah…he's dying, isn't he?"

"What?" Gojyo barked. "Sanzo, what the hell is going on?"

"He wants a fitting place to die." Sanzo said coolly, once again retaking Meika's hand as she stood from the ground. "You're the only brat I know that looks sad when her enemy is about to die."

Meika bit her lip as the fight continued. She could see that Homura was growing weaker and weaker with each passing moment. "I can't help it. Homura isn't really a bad person. I don't think he ever really meant for me to use my power…" Her eyes widened as Homura leapt over Goku and charged straight towards her and Sanzo. Her grip on Sanzo's hand tightened and she refused to move when she saw that Sanzo was showing no fear. She gasped as Goku stabbed Homura through the chest with his Nyoi-bo. Bits of blood splattered across Meika's face as she watched the proud War God fall before her and Sanzo. "Homura!"

Goku was faster than Meika. He reached the god as he slammed against the golden doors to the dying world around them. "You bastard! You didn't dodge on purpose!"

"Why'd you do something stupid like that, Homura?" Meika asked softly as she knelt beside the dying god.

"You're wrong, Son Goku." Homura grit out as he sat up, resting his back against the pillar of the golden door. "You defeated me." He smirked. "It was fun fighting you and I am grateful to you, Son Goku." He turned to Meika and softened his smirk to a smile. He reached out and placed a gentle hand on her head, ruffling her hair lightly. "I'm sorry. I frightened you, didn't I?"

Meika shook her head stubbornly, dislodging Homura's hand from her head. "No way."

Sanzo, Gojyo, and Hakkai walked over. "Homura." Sanzo said, glancing around at the crumbling world around them.

"It's over." Homura said softly. He turned his full attention to Sanzo for the first time since they'd entered the new world. "Konzen, there is a limit to the time I have. Human blood flows through my veins."

"That mean's you're…" Hakkai's voice trailed off as his eyes widened in realization.

Homura nodded. "Yes. I'm a heretical being, considered a nuisance by the Heavens. That's why I decided I wouldn't die in that horrible place. However, I am a War God. As a War God, I have to die in battle. I wanted to die fighting my strongest enemy ever." As he said this, he looked over at Goku. "You should be honored, Son Goku. You are the only being that I acknowledge as the strongest." He smiled again as Meika was suddenly hugging him gently around his neck. "What's this? Minutes ago you wanted to 'kick my butt' as I recall."

"Shut up." Meika bit out, doing her best not to cry.

Homura smiled tiredly and looked back at Sanzo. "Konzen, I know I am in no position to ask favors of you, but please leave me here and seal this world away. Ever since that time five hundred years ago…I…have always envied all of you. Because you'll all die someday, for your own sakes, you all try and live without regrets. Ever since I descended to this place, I feel as though I have been able to live that way as well."

Meika's grip around his neck tightened as she felt him place his hand back on her head. She blinked as Homura held up one of the yellow flowers to her. Tentatively, she took it from him and clutched it tightly to her chest. "Homura…"

Homura smiled warmly at her. "I'm glad that I was able to go back to this field with you again, Yanmei. Look after these four, just like you did five hundred years ago…"

"Homura?" Meika called softly as he hand fell away from her head and limply to his side. "Hey, Homura…" She shook his shoulders gently. When she received no response, she felt the tears rising in her eyes. She bit the insides of her cheeks to keep them at bay.

Goku remained kneeling beside her, his fists clenched tightly. "I've wanted to beat Homura since we met him. Now…now I don't feel like I've won at all."

Hakkai nodded. "In the end, I believe it really was Homura that won since everything went the way he wanted it to."

Meika began sobbing as Goku punched the ground, his own tears and shouts of anger spurring her tears on.

"Goku, Meika, stop and look at his face." Sanzo ordered firmly.

Meika had to wipe the tears from her eyes in order to properly see Homura's smiling face. She'd never seen him so happy before. "He looks happy." She said softly.

Sanzo nodded. "If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha. If you meet your father, kill your father. Free of everything, not bound by anything, only live your life just as it is."

Goku stood up. "I don't understand, but I get it." He said with a bright grin.

Meika frowned as she stood up and dusted her dress off. "Well, I don't. That's stupid. Why would you kill your father or the Buddha? Wouldn't you get in serious trouble for killing someone?"

Hakkai laughed. "That's not exactly what it means, Meika."

Meika put her hands on her hips and pouted. She was about to demand an answer when the ground they were standing on gave a violent shudder. The ground was being yanked up into the swirling black clouds as the world around them was slowly destroyed. "I think it's time to go…" She looked to Sanzo and saw he was performing the chant for his sutra. Realizing they were about to leave this world and Homura behind, Meika knelt beside the dead god. She plucked a yellow flower from the ground and placed it in his open palm. "Goodbye, Homura…"

Then, everything went white.

* * *

"You should be asleep, Meika." Gojyo said softly to the little girl using his lap as a pillow while he clicked his lighter open and closed.

Meika remained curled up, her eyes wide open as she looked at Goku with his head thrown over the side of Jeep. "I can't. Your lighter is too loud…" She reached up to her hair that was now pulled back into a ponytail to confirm that the yellow flower was still there. She'd decided she would wear it for as long as she could and then, before it began to wither, she would press it in a book and keep the dried flower forever. She sat up and moved so she was sitting in Gojyo's lap and stared up at the night stars.

"You can't sleep either, Gojyo?" Hakkai asked from the front seat. He reached back and lightly touched Meika's hair, smiling when she grabbed his hand and hugged it close to her.

"Nah, the stars are too bright tonight." Gojyo said, though he was smiling.

Hakkai nodded. "I saw a shooting star for the first time in my life."

"If you see a shooting star, you're supposed to make a wish!" Meika said excitedly. She blinked as Goku began mumbling in his sleep about being hungry. She giggled and moved to curl up beside him. "Silly GoGo." Her eyes widened as Gojyo reached across and held Goku's nose shut. "Don't kill him!" She wailed.

Gojyo rolled his eyes. "Please. This won't even wake him up."

Hakkai sighed tiredly. "Meika, what would you wish for on a shooting star?"

Meika thought for a minute. She frowned as she tried to think of something to wish for, but nothing seemed right. Finally she shrugged and smiled at Hakkai. "Nothing. I've got you, JoJo, GoGo, and ZoZo. I don't need anything else." She blinked as Gojyo wrapped her in a big hug.

"That's my baby girl!" Gojyo cooed.

Meika swore she saw a brief smile flit across Sanzo's face, but decided it must've been a trick of the light. Sanzo didn't smile after all. She grinned as Hakkai took her from Gojyo. She hugged him and kissed his cheek. She looked thoughtfully up at the night sky. "Well…there is one thing…"

"What would that be?" Hakkai asked, the smile never leaving his face. He blinked in surprise when he realized Meika's cheeks had turned a light pink.

"A golden eyed prince…" Meika said softly.

Gojyo heard though and quickly grabbed her from Hakkai. "You don't need a prince! You only need me and Hakkai and…well, mostly me and Hakkai! No golden eyed princes for you, young lady!" He hugged Meika tightly, causing her to squeak rather loudly.

Goku woke up and groggily looked around. His eyes widened when he saw Meika struggling to get out of Gojyo's death grip. "Hey, your squishing her you stupid kappa!"

"What'd you say, you damn Saru!" Gojyo shouted back, releasing Meika from his death grip.

Meika could see that Sanzo was growing very irritated. She quickly climbed into the front seat beside Hakkai as Sanzo shot the first warning bullet into the air. She smiled up at Hakkai and snuggled against him, suddenly feeling very tired. "Good night, HaHa."

Hakkai chuckled. "It's good to know that the sounds of chaos soothe you so, Meika." He stroked her hair down as the little girl fell asleep against him. Hakkai tried to console himself with the thought that Meika hadn't said Kougaiji was her prince. Of course, now they'd have to be vigilant for any golden eyed fools dumb enough to come near Meika. He glanced over at Sanzo and received a curt nod of agreement. With that in mind, Hakkai settled down to sleep with Meika curled up against him while Sanzo continued threatening Gojyo and Goku.


	46. The Strange Boy

**Sakura02: Haha, I don't think we have to worry about Meika ever meeting Edward or Hoenheim. Yes, Natanmei forever!**

**KaKashiisWifey: Hmmm, I'm not sure if Meika will get to be a preteen during the actual journey, but I do plan to do an epilogue/mini-arc where she is a teenager.**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: We actually have one more manga arc in Saiyuki before we get to Reload. Hmmm…I hadn't thought about changing her outfit, but I'll definitely consider it!**

**Anne Fatalism Dilettante: Don't worry! This story won't end just yet! I will be doing Reload and Reload Blast so look forward to it!**

**Thanks: AdaYuki, Saiyuri Haruno, Mistress Bumblebee, and Slytherin Studios for reviewing!**

* * *

"Poor Hakuryuu." Meika cooed softly to the little dragon, dabbing lightly at his forehead with a tiny cool cloth. They had been traveling for a number of days before they finally found a small town. As soon as Hakuryuu had changed back to his dragon form, the poor thing had collapsed to the ground with a fever. They were able to thankfully find the inn quickly enough and were lucky enough that they had a spare room for them. Meika smiled gently when Hakuryuu looked up at her and let out a weak chirp. "Don't worry. You just rest until you feel better. We'll take care of you."

"Sanzo, is it all right if we stay in town for a few days?" Hakkai asked, glancing over at the silent monk.

Sanzo glanced up from his newspaper only to find Hakkai looking at him questioningly and Meika and Goku giving him puppy eyes. He could feel a migraine coming on. The thought of being cooped up in the room with them…but, if they were in the town, he could send Meika and Goku off on errands if they annoyed him. "It's not as if we have much choice. We can't get very far on foot."

Hakkai smiled brightly. "I'm so glad you said that." He pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Gojyo, his smile never wavering. "Well then, Gojyo, if you'd be so kind as to run these errands for me. I have to stay here with Hakuryuu."

Gojyo frowned, his eyes quickly scanning the list. With a resigned sigh, Gojyo turned to Goku. "Let's go…"

"Oh no, please refrain from taking Goku." Hakkai's cheerful smile never left his face. "All you two do together is waste money."

Reluctantly, Gojyo glanced over at Sanzo. He really didn't like the idea of having to go shopping with the irritable priest, but he liked the idea of shopping alone even less. He blinked as a gold credit card was shoved in his face.

"Marlboro. Red. Filtered." Sanzo clipped out, never taking his eyes off of his newspaper.

"I'll go with you, JoJo!" Meika said quickly, seeing just how irritated Gojyo was becoming. She carefully put the cool cloth on Hakuryuu's head and then rushed over to Gojyo's side.

Gojyo couldn't help smiling a little as Meika grabbed his hand. She always knew just what to say or do to diffuse his foul mood. He gave her hand a small squeeze. "All right, let's go then."

The two spent the next couple of hours shopping for all the supplies on Hakkai's list. It took longer than normal due to Meika running into every single shop they passed, wanting to look at all the pretty jewelry, new clothes, and especially the toy shop. Gojyo had to hold Meika's hand as she tugged him from one shelf of toys to another. Meika paused in front of a shelf with nothing but dolls.

Gojyo watched her as her eyes landed on one doll in particular. It was a rather simple looking doll, especially compared to the more intricately designed and dressed dolls beside it. The doll had onyx eyes and bright red lips on a painted white face. The pitch black hair was in a simple bun and the doll wore an equally simple light blue dress. "You want it, Meika?" He asked, readjusting the bags in his hands to try and pull the gold credit card out of his pocket.

Meika quickly shook her head. She smiled brightly up at Gojyo. "No, it's okay. Besides, ZoZo would get mad if we spent money that wasn't necessary. Here, give me one of the bags. We should head back before HaHa and the others worry."

Despite the happy little tune Meika was humming as they walked back towards the inn with their arms full of grocery bags, Gojyo found himself in a rather foul mood. How could Sanzo deny the little girl something so simple as a toy? Sure, Sanzo hadn't been there and actually said no, but Gojyo could practically hear the priest's voice if they showed back up to the room with the doll.

_"What the hell is that?" Sanzo would almost be sneering as he spoke. "I don't recall that being on the list. Why are you wasting money on something so useless? Take it back now."_

"JoJo, are you okay?" Meika looked up at him with round, worried eyes. She would hold his hand if both their arms weren't so full of bags. She tilted her head to the side curiously when she heard rather loud and angry voices coming from an alley beside them. She looked up and saw three men crowding around someone, obviously about to mug them. "JoJo…"

Gojyo sighed, already heading towards the mouth of the alley. "Stay back, Meika. Sanzo will have my head if your dress gets ruined.

Meika lingered back as Gojyo walked over and casually kicked the man in the side of his head. Meika went over while Gojyo dealt with the tree men rather easily. She was surprised to find a boy no older than her standing against the wall with wide, terrified blue eyes. She took in his rather fancy garb and wondered why someone dressed so richly would be in this part of town. "Are you okay?" She asked the boy softly. She noted idly that he had soft blonde hair that was rather pretty, though not as pretty as Sanzo's.

The boy looked at her and nodded slowly, his eyes drifting over towards where Gojyo was thoroughly pummeling the three men to a pulp. "Um, is he going to stop soon?"

"In a little bit." Meika answered cheerfully. "JoJo's been in a bad mood today so he's working out his anger." She blinked as the three men scrambled passed her and the boy, all three badly bruised and beaten. She smiled up at Gojyo as he came over, a scowl on his face as he had to readjust the grocery bags in his arms. "Feel better, JoJo?"

Gojyo sighed and rolled his shoulders. He put the bags down beside Meika and the boy. "Both of you, stay here. I'll be right back."

Meika put her bag beside Gojyo's before sitting on a small crate in the alley. She smiled as the boy sat next to her. "Are you okay? Those men didn't hurt you, did they?"

The boy gave her a nervous smile. "No, they didn't. I'm okay." He flinched as something cold suddenly touched his forehead. He grinned when he realized it was just Gojyo who had come back with two cans of juice for the children and a beer for himself. "Thank you!"

Meika smiled as Gojyo popped the tab on her can of juice before handing it to her. "Thanks, JoJo."

Gojyo took a sip of his beer. "Hurry up and drink it, kid, and then scram. This is no place for a kid dressed as rich as you." He said coolly to the boy. "You hurry too, Meika. I want us back to the inn before nightfall." He watched the boy out of the corner of his eye. "Did you get separated from your mom or something?"

The boy smiled and shook his head. "My parents died a while ago." He looked between Meika and Gojyo with curious eyes. "Are you her dad?"

"Nope." Gojyo said, frowning as he thought about what the boy had said. "You're alone then?"

"I have a brother." The boy answered, his smile never wavering. "We're twins and very close."

"You're so lucky." Meika gushed, kicking her legs out as she looked up at the sky that she could just see through the alleyway. "I wish I had a brother or a sister…"

The boy smiled at Meika. "It's really fun having a twin…"

Gojyo watched as the boy gushed to Meika about what it was like to have a twin. He could see the excited twinkle in Meika's eyes as the boy continued talking. He hadn't seen her that excited in quite a while. Now that he thought about it, he wasn't sure if she'd ever actually gotten to play, let alone talk, to anyone her own age.

The boy turned his attention back to Gojyo. "Anyway, Mister, you're really strong! You beat those three guys up like they were nothing!"

Meika puffed her chest up proudly. "My JoJo is one of the strongest guys in the world!"

"One?" The boy asked curiously, looking between Gojyo and Meika.

Gojyo smirked and took a sip from his beer. There was a cool breeze blowing through the alley which would've felt nice if it didn't carry the smell of trash with it. "I'm nothing compared to the other three freaks we travel with."

The boy's smile faltered. "Are they your friends?"

Gojyo's smirk widened. "That's a pretty strong word for them. "One's a stupid monkey with a stomach for a brain, another is a monk that's got a stick shoved up his ass, and the third likes to nag me like he's my mom. It's no thanks to those three that I'm a chick-free errand boy."

Meika frowned. "That's not nice, JoJo. Sure, GoGo eats a lot and ZoZo is always cranky and yelling and HaHa worries too much. That doesn't mean you have to talk so meanly about them."

Gojyo sighed at the pout on Meika's face. He reached over and ruffled her hair. "Sorry, Kiddo. I didn't mean to upset you. You know I love you."

The pout left Meika's face and she grinned. "I love you too, JoJo!"

"Hey, Mister, do you hate those people?" The boy asked, his smile replaced with an almost cold smirk.

* * *

It was hours later and Meika still got a chill as she thought of what the boy had said. He'd kept asking her and Gojyo (more Gojyo than her) questions about their group. Something about the smile on his face had really troubled her and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong. "JoJo," She said quietly as they walked down the street with their groceries. "shouldn't we get back to the inn now?"

Gojyo looked up at the sky and was rather surprised to see that the sun had already set and the bright night sky was dotted with twinkling stars. "Wow, I didn't realize it was that late. Let's get you back and ready for bed before Mother Hakkai has my head."

Meika rolled her eyes at Gojyo's nickname for Hakkai, but said nothing. She smiled at the lady at the front desk and even waited for Gojyo while he flirted with her. She smiled as they were finally outside the room. "We're back!" She sang out as she nudged the door open with her hip. "Sorry we were…gone…" Her voice trailed off as the door swung fully open. Her bag of groceries dropped to her feet, followed quickly by Gojyo's. Her legs were frozen in place and she wasn't sure if she wanted to run into or out of the room. "JoJo, what's wrong with everyone?"

Gojyo opened and closed his mouth a few times as he stared at the room, just as shocked as Meika. Goku, Sanzo, and Hakkai were all laying on the ground, none of them moving. "What the hell…" his look of shock morphed into one of panicked anger. He scooped Meika up as he heard her first whimper of fear. "If this is some kind of joke, you guys better knock it off! You're scaring Meika."

"This is what you wanted, right, Mister?"

Meika looked over Gojyo's shoulder and felt her breath catch in her throat. It was the boy from earlier, of that she was sure. Now, though, he had pointed ears like a youkai and wore a cap with horns on it. A strange symbol was on his forehead that Meika recognized as the symbol for loyalty. "What'd you do? What'd you do to them?"


	47. To the Mountain

**I apologize for my random disappearance! I was working on my original novel and when I'm writing it, I have to focus everything on it. I've currently completed draft 3 of 6 and I'm very excited :) Thank you all for your patience and understanding!**

**Sakura02: The last chapter was from the very end of Saiyuki Volume 6. This chapter is the start of Saiyuki Volume 7**

**KaKashiisWifey: Haha, I've often debated on doing a mini arc of when Meika is older and the boys have to deal with her as a teenager.**

**Thanks: Saiyuri Haruno, White Arc Angel, Boredx2, AdaYuki, CBarbie92, kira86, and RememberMeKindly for reviewing!**

**Over 500 reviews! You guys are so awesome! Keep those reviews coming :)**

* * *

The boy smiled brightly down at the two. He was nestled quite comfortably in the arms of one of the creepiest monsters Meika had ever seen in her short life. "I wanted to thank you for helping me, so I got rid of them for you."

Gojyo moved protectively in front of Meika and snarled at the boy. "You did this? So, you're a Gyumaoh assassin!"

The boy looked genuinely confused, his eyes flickering uncertainly between Gojyo and Meika. "Who's Gyumaoh? I've never heard of him before…"

"Shut up!" Gojyo yelled, drawing his weapon. "What did you do to them?"

Meika had moved to Hakkai's side and was gently shaking his shoulder. "Please wake up, HaHa. Please be okay."

Again, the boy looked thoroughly confused. "Wait a minute, I thought this was what you wanted…why are you so angry and upset? Ginkaku, don't!"

Meika looked up as a large shadow fell over her. Her eyes widened as the large monster loomed over her, it's huge mouth opened as it roared angrily at her. She was so scared, she couldn't move, not that she would've moved anyways. If the monster attack and she dodged, it would hurt Hakkai and she wouldn't allow that. She gasped as a gunshot rang through the air and a bullet smacked the monster square in the chest. "ZoZo, you're okay!"

Sanzo grunted as Meika flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Get off me. I'm pretty sure this is partially your fault anyways."

The boy looked very nervous now as he clutched an odd looking gourd to his chest. "How? I was sure I finished you off!"

"Knock it off with the crying." Sanzo grit out as Meika continued hugging him and was now sobbing into his shoulder. He glowered over at Gojyo. "You shouldn't just assume people are dead, asshole." He stood up with Meika still attached to his neck. It took a few moments for him to pry her off and when he did, she simply latched onto his robe. He rolled his eyes, but said nothing to her about it. "I'm not sure about Goku and Hakkai, though. Would you knock it off with the crying?" Sanzo glowered down at Meika.

Meika sniffled and looked up at him with watery eyes. "I was so scared you were dead!"

Again, Sanzo simply rolled his eyes. He turned his attention back to the little boy that was frantically checking if the monster was okay. "You, kid." He hissed so coldly that the boy actually turned around only to find a gun pointed at him. "What are you after and where did you get that gourd?"

The boy's lower lip quivered. He looked pleadingly over at Meika as she continued to cling to Sanzo. "But I didn't do anything! I just wanted too…" He gasped as the monster suddenly stood up and scooped him up. "Ginkaku!"

Gojyo rushed over and grabbed Sanzo's arm as he pointed his gun at the boy. "You can't shoot a kid!"

"Get off of me now!" Sanzo hissed as the monster jumped through the window with the boy in his arms. He tore away from both Gojyo and Meika and ran over to the window only to find the boy and monster long gone. He turned on Gojyo with a snarl and punched Gojyo right in the face, ignoring Meika's scream of protest. "What bullshit are you trying to pull? That kid attacked us!"

Meika whimpered, alternating between twisting her hands in her dress and playing with hair. "Please don't fight…we've gotta save HaHa and GoGo…"

"Sorry…" Gojyo muttered lamely. He knelt down and hugged Meika, trying his best to sooth the distraught child. "It's okay, Meika. We'll get them back. Don't worry."

Sanzo seemed to calm down after a moment, though his fists were still clenched tightly at his sides. "You better start talking now, Gojyo. That kid said you wanted this to happen."

Meika and Gojyo quickly explained running into the boy and their conversation with him afterwards. Gojyo moved Hakkai and Goku over onto the bed and then the three sat down, Sanzo at the table and Meika and Gojyo on the floor. Meika looked nervously between Gojyo and Sanzo who were both silently glaring ahead. "What're we going to do?" She asked timidly.

Gojyo glared over at Sanzo when the priest didn't speak. "Well, say something!"

"Something." Sanzo said coolly, not fazed in the slightest when Gojyo abruptly stupid up.

"Are you making fun of me?" Gojyo hissed, ignoring how Meika seemed to shrink against the wall.

Sanzo rolled his eyes and lit a cigarette. "I will once we've fixed this mess you created. I'm worried that talking to you right now will spread your stupidity. You, young lady," Sanzo spoke in a much softer tone when he spoke to Meika. "I thought you knew better than to talk to people like that."

Meika lowered her head. "I'm sorry, ZoZo. I didn't know…"

"Don't get after her!" Gojyo snapped, jumping up from the floor. "Why don't you tell us what the hell happened here! Or is it too much work for his high and mighty holiness to bother with us commoners?"

Sanzo ignored the jibe and was silent for a moment. Finally, he explained how the boy had shown up at their door with the monster and how the boy had used vines that came from the gourd to suck the souls out of Hakkai and Goku. He told them about how he grabbed onto a still lit cigarette to keep himself conscious until the boy left.

Meika went over to the bed where Hakkai and Goku were. She moved the hair from both their faces. "So, HaHa and GoGo are just empty shells right now?" She looked back over at Sanzo and Gojyo with hopeful eyes. "That means they aren't dead, though! That means we can save them!"

Sanzo shrugged. "I would assume so, but since we don't know the nature of the gourd, it could only be a matter of time before they're dead." He raised an eyebrow as Gojyo rushed to the door. "Where exactly are you going?"

"I'm going to find that kid since we need him to get Hakkai and Goku back." Gojyo hissed. He blinked as Meika grabbed his hand. "Hey, you need to stay here where it's safe."

Meika shook her head stubbornly. "I'm going with you! I want to help save HaHa and GoGo!"

Sanzo sighed and stood up. "I'm coming too. Since you, Gojyo, are the king of screw ups and I can't expect Meika to be responsible for you."

Meika looked nervously between the two again as Gojyo practically snarled. She hoped they would be able to get Hakkai and Goku back quickly before Sanzo and Gojyo killed each other.

The little trio made their way to a bar close by to start asking questions. Meika's eyes lit up as the man gave her a glass of chocolate milk since she apparently looked rather pitiful with her red rimmed eyes and disheveled hair. She happily sipped at the milk and was able to momentarily ignore the tense atmosphere between Sanzo and Gojyo as they asked the bartender about the boy with the monster.

The bartender thought for a moment and shrugged. "I don't know anything about a boy, but I have heard plenty about a monster. I'm sure you've noticed the mountain behind the village. A rumor started about a year ago that a monster showed up in the forest up on the mountain. No one has ever reported being attacked, but there's been some rather strange deaths since the rumor started."

"What do you mean?" Sanzo asked, sighing in annoyance when he saw the milk mustache on Meika. He reached over and wiped it off with his sleeve before settling back down.

"There's never a trace of injuries." The bartender explained. "It's almost like their souls just left their bodies. Now, I'm not one to talk bad about the dead, but the ones that have died were some of the more unsavory sort of folk in town. Some people are saying that it's divine retribution."

Sanzo stood up from his bar stool. "I think we've heard enough. Come on, Meika."

Meika smiled at the bartender and pushed her empty glass towards him. "Thank you, sir. You've been really nice and helpful." She hopped off her stool and blinked when some very familiar and unwelcome men were standing behind them. "You're the guys that JoJo beat up earlier!"

One of the men sneered at Gojyo. "I've been looking all over for your sorry ass, Red! Now, I can back you back properly for earlier."

Gojyo sighed and took Meika's hand as the trio began walking away. "Sorry, we don't have time to play with you assholes. My poor little Meika's eyes have been tainted by the sight of you losers quite enough today." He frowned as they were suddenly surrounded by a group of the guys friends.

Sanzo growled in annoyance as Meika clung to his robe. "It doesn't matter where we go or who we meet. You, Gojyo, are a curse forced upon me."

"Why thank you." Gojyo sneered.

"Stop fighting you two." Meika whined. "We need to save GoGo and HaHa!"

Sanzo rolled his eyes and loaded his gun. "Be quiet for now, Meika. The grown up needs to deal with the idiot right now. If you want to sow seeds, Gojyo, that's your own choice. Do not, however, sow seeds that then become a pain in my ass."

Gojyo wiped a fake tear from his eyes. "I'm so moved by the exalted priest's wondrous teaching. Thank you, Baldie."

"I'm serious you two, stop it!" Meika shouted as Sanzo pointed his gun at Gojyo and shot at him with Gojyo just barely dodging. She winced as the two actually started screaming at each other before finally taking care of the group of thugs while still yelling at each other.

After a few minutes of both Sanzo and Gojyo calming down, Gojyo spoke. "So, I guess we should go check out the mountain."

Sanzo simply silently nodded and the trio walked out of the bar. He didn't say anything as Meika latched onto both his and Gojyo's hands as they walked. He and Gojyo didn't exchange anymore words since Meika was right between them, but they did mutter a great deal under their breath about the other.

* * *

"You should've just stayed at the inn." Sanzo grumbled, glaring halfheartedly over at Meika who was currently riding piggy back on Gojyo and rubbing her eyes sleepily.

Meika shook her head stubbornly and tightened her grip on Gojyo's neck. "If I didn't come with you guys, you'd have killed each other by now."

Gojyo managed a weak chuckle. He sat down on a stump and moved Meika into his lap. "We may as well rest and think since we have no clue where we're going."

"For once something intelligent comes out of your mouth." Sanzo muttered, ignoring the glare Gojyo sent him. "So, what do you know about his mystery boy?"

Gojyo thought for a moment. "Not much. I think he said his name at one point…it started with a 'k'."

"Kinkaku." Meika blurted out. "I remember it because it rhymed with his twin brother's name, Ginkaku. His mommy and daddy are dead…"

Sanzo frowned thoughtfully. "The kid kept calling that monster Ginkaku…"

Meika thought about the boy and then about the monster. "But, they don't look anything alike!"

"Maybe that monster is a transformation or something." Gojyo muttered, patting Meika's back as she let out a big yawn. He was starting to worry that maybe they should have left Meika at the inn, where she could rest and be safe. "I'm worried about that kid's crusade against evil on top of everything else. It's almost like he's been brainwashed."

Meika rubbed her eyes sleepily. "He did mention that he had Kami-sama on his side. Maybe that's who brainwashed him…" She tensed as she heard something move in the trees above them. "I think someone else is here…" She looked up when she heard laughter coming from the trees and saw a group of youkai above them.

"How lucky for us that there's only the two of you and the kid." One of the youkai sneered. "We'll send all of you to Hell."

Sanzo groaned in annoyance and once again loaded his gun. "It's been proven now; you, Gojyo, are a curse."


	48. Kinkaku Reappears

**Hello again, everyone! I'm going to start putting updates on my profile every Sunday so that you can all see what's going on and whether I'll be updating the upcoming week or not. Also, I'll start revealing little tidbits and hints of new stories to come so check my profile every Sunday!**

**Sakura02: Lol, our poor baby is stuck with the idiots right now…**

**Thanks: CBarbie92, White Arc Angel, Saiyuri Haruno, ClayFlowers, Boredx2, AdaYuki, Princesa de la Luna, and H-Dawg-luvs-anime for reviewing!**

* * *

Meika yawned sleepily and sat on the ground, watching as Sanzo and Gojyo easily handled the youkai. She was still worried about Gojyo and Goku and how they would be able to save them. She sighed in annoyance as Gojyo and Sanzo once again began shouting at each other over who had killed more youkai. There was only one terrified youkai left of the large group that had initially attacked them. She stood up and dusted the dirt from her dress. "Stop it, you two. You're both really strong…"

Her eyes widened suddenly and everything seemed to slow down. The remaining youkai leapt up and grabbed Sanzo around the waist, knocking them both over the edge of cliff nearby. "ZoZo!" Meika screamed scrambling over to the edge. She blinked as a familiar chained whipped by her head and wrapped around Sanzo's arm. She glanced over her shoulder and grinned at Gojyo who was doing his best to pull Sanzo back up. She looked back down over the edge of the cliff. "Are you okay, ZoZo?"

Sanzo glowered up at the little girl. "Do I look okay?" He glowered down at the youkai clinging to his waist. He pointed his gun at the youkai's head and shot him. He grunted as the youkai released him and he was suddenly slammed into the wall of the cliff.

"Be careful, JoJo." Meika said to Gojyo as he did his best to pull the annoyed priest back up. She waited expectantly as Gojyo finally pulled Sanzo up over the lip of the cliff. She grabbed Sanzo's hand and helped pull him up.

The three of them collapsed to the ground, Meika laying in between the two. She looked blankly up at the stars above them for a moment. "Well…at least we're all okay…"

Gojyo chuckled and ruffled Meika's hair. He glanced at Sanzo over Meika's head. "You're heavier than you look, Sanzo."

Sanzo rolled his eyes and lit a cigarette. "Shut up. I don't recall asking for your help."

"Well, you didn't really have time to ask for help." Meika pointed out. "You were kind of falling to your death." She yelped as Sanzo lightly whapped her upside the head. She pouted, but didn't say anything else.

Gojyo sighed and stuck a cigarette in his mouth. He couldn't find his lighter so he collapsed back onto the ground and stared up at the sky. He blinked in surprise when Sanzo leaned over and lit the cigarette for him. Gojyo grinned at the irritated looking priest. "Thank you." He sang in his usual cocky voice.

Sanzo shrugged, only glancing once more at Gojyo's arm that had been bloodied and bruised from wrapping the chain around said arm and pulling Sanzo to safety. He reached out and roughly ruffled Meika's hair before standing up and kicking Gojyo in the head. "Get up, damn Kappa. We don't have time for your lazy ass to nap."

Gojyo rolled his eyes and stood up, taking Meika's hand in his. They quickly followed after Sanzo's retreating form. "I'm so glad our cute little Meika didn't take after your cranky ass."

Meika bit back a giggle and shot Gojyo a reprimanding look. "That's not nice, JoJo. ZoZo is cute in his own way."

"Would you two just shut…" Sanzo was abruptly cut off as familiar vines reappeared and wrapped around his arm, yanking him away from Meika and Gojyo.

"Let him go, Kinkaku. Please!" Meika shouted pleadingly. Her wide red eyes darted between the captive Sanzo and the angry Kinkaku.

Kinkaku stared blankly at Gojyo and Meika. "Maybe I was wrong about you two. Maybe you guys are bad too." He glowered over at Meika as she took a step towards Sanzo. "Don't even think about it." He hissed, making the vines that trapped Sanzo choke him.

Meika immediately stepped back. "Please, Kinkaku, stop doing this. Stop hurting ZoZo."

Kinkaku's eyes were flitting between the trapped Sanzo, the trembling Meika, and the furious Gojyo. He clutched the gourd tighter to his chest and shuddered. "You guys can't beat me. I've got Kami-sama on my side!"

Gojyo glared at the boy. "You seriously think that God gave you that thing? You are in one sick cult."

"Kami-sama gave this to me!" Kinkaku shouted back. "Kami-sama really is God! He has to be! If you die, Ginkaku will come back! Kami-sama told me so!"

"Why do you believe in him so much?" Meika asked quietly. "I thought you believed in your brother more than anyone else in the world. I understand why you're doing this…I would do anything to save ZoZo and the others if anything happened to them." Meika looked up at Kinkaku. "You're brother would never have asked you to become a murderer, unlike this Kami-sama person."

Kinkaku was silent for only a moment as he and Meika stared at each other. "Just…just shut up!" He shouted suddenly and sent Sanzo flying straight towards a large tree.

Sanzo squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself for impact. He let out a grunt as his back connected with something much softer than a tree. He turned his head to the side and was surprised. "Gojyo!"

Gojyo grunted as the breath was knocked out of him. He gave a weak grin as Meika rushed over to them. "I'm not into guys being on top of me…"

Meika blinked slowly and let out a breath when she realized they were both okay. "So, if they're below you that's okay?"

"I swear if she turns out anything like you, I'm shooting you." Sanzo grit out. "Get my gun."

Gojyo obeyed and pointed the gun at Kinkaku. He shot a warning shot and made Kinkaku drop the gourd.

"Meika, I want you to get the gourd." Sanzo ordered. "That thing is the only way we're going to get Goku and Hakkai back…"

Meika's heart stopped as the next shot rang through the air. It took her a moment to grasp what had just happened. She stared at the shattered pieces of the gourd on the ground and then up at Sanzo's furious face and Gojyo's shocked one. "What'd you do, JoJo?"

Gojyo opened and closed his mouth a few times and finally uttered a simple, "Oops."


	49. Missing

**Sakura02: Yes, JoJo is a bit of a special one isn't he…**

**Thank you: AdaYuki, KaKashiisWifey, Princesa de la Luna, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, White Arc Angel, and Saiyuri Haruno for reviewing!**

* * *

"Give me my gun back!" Sanzo snapped angrily at Gojyo, yanking his gun out of Gojyo's limp grasp. "Meika, don't you start crying! We don't have time for that right now!"

Meika bit her lip, her eyes wide and watery. She looked over at Kinkaku and saw the boy was crouching over the shattered gourd. It took her a moment to realize that he looked utterly terrified. Cautiously, she walked over to him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. She didn't move even when he whipped his head around to look at her. It surprised her to see just how afraid he was. "Don't be scared, Kinkaku. Please, just stop attacking us and give GoGo and HaHa back."

Kinkaku was almost trembling, his voice wavering as he spoke. "You don't understand. Kami-sama gave that to me. He's going to be so mad at me."

Gojyo came and stood beside Meika with Sanzo just behind him. Gojyo pulled Meika back to stand beside him. He looked down at Kinkaku and saw a bit of himself in Kinkaku. "Let me guess, you're afraid because you don't want to doubt your Kami-sama and get left behind by him." He blinked as he felt Meika grab his hand tightly. He looked down and he could see the worry in her red eyes that matched his own. She always seemed to know when something was wrong, not just with him, but all the others as well.

Kinkaku continued trembling. He shook his head rapidly. "You're wrong! Kami-sama is right and you are all wrong!"

Meika yelped as Gojyo practically picked her up and threw her a few feet away. When she stopped skidding across the ground, she sat up and saw that Ginkaku had Gojyo pinned down and that Kinkaku was clinging to Sanzo's arm, preventing the priest from shooting Ginkaku. Her lower lip quivered. She was still worried about Goku and Hakkai. She didn't know if she'd ever get to see them again. She could tell Gojyo was holding back because he really didn't want to hurt Kinkaku and Sanzo had almost fallen to his death that day. She hadn't met this Kami-sama person yet, but already she hated him with every fiber of her being. "Stop hurting my family!" She screamed, summoning a ball of water and sending it flying at Ginkaku.

"Ginkaku!" Kinkaku shouted, running over to his fallen brother. He crouched down protectively in front of his brother as Gojyo, Meika, and Sanzo approached. "Please don't kill Ginkaku!" He pleaded to the three. "He's really not bad! I'll do anything! You can kill me! Just please don't hurt him!"

"ZoZo, we're not going to kill them, are we?" Meika asked, looking up at Sanzo.

Sanzo rolled his eyes as Gojyo knelt down in front of Kinkaku and patted the young youkai's head. "I suppose not…"

Gojyo chuckled. He looked down at Kinkaku and smiled. "Nothing good will come of killing you. You're just trying to protect your little brother. We're a lot like that. We just want our friends back is all."

Kinkaku blinked, looking between Gojyo and Meika in confusion. "But, you said they were bad people." He flinched as Meika left Sanzo's side and walked over to stand beside Gojyo.

Meika giggled and patted Kinkaku on the head. "Yeah. ZoZo and the others are all pretty crazy."

Gojyo grinned. "They're all closer to evil than good. I think the only good one in our group is our cute little Meika." He scooped the little girl up and nuzzled his cheek against hers, grinning as she laughed. "That's not what it's all about, though. You'll understand someday when you're older, both of you." Gojyo said as both Meika and Kinkaku looked at him in confusion. "In the meantime, don't throw your life away. It'd be a waste."

Kinkaku blinked slowly. He opened his mouth to say something when Ginkaku growled lowly from behind him. "Ginkaku, it's okay." Kinkaku reassured as he turned around. "You can stop fighting now. These guys aren't really…"

"Kinkaku!" Meika ran over to where Ginkaku had flung Kinkaku. She knelt beside the youkai boy and helped him to sit up. "Are you okay, Kinkaku?" She smiled in relief as he nodded slowly. "Thank goodness." She looked up when she heard Ginkaku let out a howl of pain. Her eyes widened and she let out a gasp. "GoGo, HaHa! You're both okay! You didn't die when JoJo shot the gourd!"

Hakkai laughed as he hopped out of Jeep and came over to Gojyo and the others. He frowned as Meika remained beside the clearly shaken Kinkaku. "You shot the gourd?"

Gojyo laughed nervously. "It all turned out okay in the end!"

Hakkai rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Kinkaku. "Listen to me, Kinkaku, that creature you're with is not your brother. I'm guessing that the man you call Kami-sama created an illusion that made you believe your brother had transformed."

Kinkaku trembled beside Meika. He barely noticed as the little girl's warm hand held his own trembling one. "You're lying…Why would Kami-sama…" His voice wavered as he spoke, his conviction beginning to fail him.

"Ginkaku's soul was sealed in another dimension." Hakkai continued on. "We saw him when we were trapped in the gourd and he asked us to save you. When the way back to Earth appeared, he said he couldn't return and that his physical body was already gone."

Something whizzed close by Meika as Kinkaku cried and screamed. It took her a moment to realize it was a long string of beads and it took her even longer to realize that said beads had shot through Kinkaku with as much force as a bullet, knocking the now bleeding and dying boy onto his back. "Kinkaku!"

Kinkaku's unfocused eyes stared blankly up as Meika and the others hovered over him, not seeing any of them. "W-Why?"

"Kinkaku, you need to be quiet, okay?" Meika whispered out, wiping the blood from Kinkaku's face with her sleeve. A chill went through her and she looked up as a strange and chilling voice spoke from the trees.

"Why? It's simple; I don't need you anymore." The man said lightly, as though killing a child was nothing to him.

Meika wasn't sure what she found most disturbing about the man. She definitely didn't like the aura he gave off, or the look in his eyes. She decided one thing that really bothered her, was his clothing. "He's a Sanzo Priest!" She blurted out. She flinched as he stood up and seemed to almost fly gracefully over to Sanzo.

"Yeah and no…" The man sang cheerfully as he waved his finger in Sanzo's face. "You're a Sanzo too? I don't want to be compared to you. I'm waaaay stronger than you!"

Sanzo frowned and Meika swore it seemed like he was debating whether or not to bite the man's finger off. "Your point?" He finally hissed out. His eyes widened as the man suddenly disappeared behind him. He whipped around to see the man now towering over Meika.

Meika could feel herself shaking. She did not like this man one bit. She liked him even less than she had liked Chin Yi-So. She glared up at him, putting on her best brave face and crouching protectively over Kinkaku's dead body. "Get away." She snarled.

The man laughed lightly. "You're a cute little youkai child. Want to be my new toy since I lost my old one?" He blinked as Meika was abruptly yanked back and away from him. He looked up curiously to find Gojyo staring at him furiously and pushing Meika behind him. "How boring…"

Gojyo already had his weapon out, ready to attack. "What the hell did you want those kids for? What kind of twisted person are you to turn two naïve boys into murderers?"

The man simply smiled. "It's a secret." He sang out. His laughter rang all around them as Gojyo slashed at him and his body turned to beads.

"JoJo…" Meika reached out to Gojyo as he punched the ground angrily. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, finally allowing herself to cry.

* * *

"Meika, eat your pizza." Hakkai said lightly. He smiled gently down at the sulking girl beside him at the table. They had searched everywhere and couldn't find a trace of the Kami-sama man. They'd simply buried Kinkaku and returned to the inn, seeing no other options. While Gojyo was acting as though nothing had happened, Meika remained sullen and silent.

"I'm not hungry…" Meika yelped as Sanzo lightly whapped her on the head with his fan. She pouted up at him as she rubbed her head.

"Eat now before the idiots take your food." Sanzo said coolly. He turned his fury on Goku and Gojyo who were busy arguing over food once again. "Shut the hell up, both of you! Some of us would like to relax and go to sleep soon!"

Goku pouted and went over to Meika, his slice of pizza dangling from his mouth. He plucked the little girl up and sat down in the chair with her in his lap. He gave Meika a tight hug and smiled as the little girl finally began eating. "Who do you think that crazy guy was?"

Sanzo finally sat down and lit himself a cigarette. He glanced over to make sure Meika was still eating before speaking. "Who knows. We don't know what he wants or whether he's even really a Sanzo or just a cosplay nutcase. If he's not working for Gyumaoh then he's not our problem."

Meika frowned as she swallowed the last of her pizza. "You mean we're just going to let that guy go? He killed Ginkaku and Kinkaku!"

"She's right!" Goku protested. "We can't let a freak like that just go on doing what he wants!"

Sanzo glared at both of them. "We are not defenders of justice! This is my mission. If I say we go, we go. Understood?"

Both Meika and Goku pouted, but reluctantly complied. Meika glanced up at Sanzo through her lashes. "What if he'd killed me, ZoZo? He barely missed me when he killed Kinkaku. Would you still just let him go if he'd killed me?"

Everyone fell silent after that. Gojyo came over to Meika and picked her up. "Come on. It's time to go to sleep. Goku, move your ass."

Meika yawned as Gojyo ushered her into the room that she, Gojyo, and Goku were all sharing together. She went to the bathroom and quickly changed for bed. When she came back out into the room, Goku was already half asleep in his bed and Gojyo was sitting on the edge of his, waiting patiently for Meika. She ran over to him and crawled into the bed beside him. As soon as Gojyo laid down beside her, Meika snuggled up against him and hugged him tightly. "JoJo, don't be sad. It wasn't your fault that Kinkaku died."

Gojyo smiled down at Meika and kissed her head. "Go to sleep, Meika."

"I love you, JoJo." Meika didn't hear his answer as she drifted off to sleep. Her dreams were simply a repeat of the days events, watching as Kinkaku died over and over. Suddenly, it wasn't Kinkaku that was being killed, but herself. Meika jolted awake with tears on her cheeks. She looked frantically around when she realized Gojyo wasn't beside her in the bed. She looked up and saw him quietly sneaking out of the room. "JoJo, where are you going?"

Gojyo froze guiltily and quickly strode over to the bed. "Just going outside for a smoke. Did you have a bad dream?"

Meika nodded. She curled up against Gojyo's side as he sat beside her on the bed. She smiled as Gojyo rocked back and forth with her and whispered reassuringly to her. She allowed him to tuck her back into the bed as she once again grew sleepy. She grabbed his hand as he turned to leave. "You're coming right back, aren't you, JoJo? I don't want to be alone."

Gojyo kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, and then her forehead again. "You're not alone; Goku is right over there and Hakkai and Sanzo are in the other room." He smoothed Meika's hair down as her grip on his hand loosened. "I love you so much, Meika. You know that, right?"

Meika nodded sleepily. She allowed his hand to slip from her grasp as she snuggled deeper under the covers. "Can we have pancakes for breakfast, JoJo?"

Gojyo smiled sadly down at Meika as he watched her breath even out as she fell back asleep. "Goodbye, Meika."

Meika was awoken the next morning to the sound of frantic talking all around her. She sat up and rubbed her eyes groggily. "What's wrong?"

"Meika," Hakkai spoke her name slowly and gently as he sat beside her on the bed.

Meika frowned as she looked from Sanzo's furious face, to Goku's worried one, and then finally landing on Hakkai's smiling mask. Someone was missing….someone important. "Where's JoJo?"

"Meika, Gojyo left." Hakkai said in the most soothing voice he could.

"No…he wouldn't leave…" Meika whispered. She searched all their faces for any hint that what Hakkai had said was a lie. "He just went to go smoke. He'll come back…he will!" Meika racked her brain for the promise Gojyo made that he would return. She realized for the first time that had never once answered her question about coming back the night before. Tears immediately poured from her eyes as she continued shaking her head. "JoJo wouldn't leave me! JoJo wouldn't…he wouldn't…" The rest of her words were lost as she began sobbing hysterically into Hakkai's shirt. Gojyo was gone. Gojyo had abandoned them. Gojyo had abandoned her.


	50. Business As Usual

**Sakura02: Gojyo is being a bad father right now!**

**Night-Mare-Crimson: Thank you for the picture :)**

**Thank you: KaKashiisWifey, Lady Amazon, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, AdaYuki, Saiyuri Haruno, Princesa de la Luna, White Arc Angel, LilyT93, and LadyElaine for reviewing! **

**Holy cow! This is the 50****th**** chapter of Precious Flower! **

* * *

Hakkai sighed when he saw Meika was once again only poking at her food. Ever since they had left the town where Gojyo had left them, Meika had remained silent and didn't eat much. Out of the entire group, she was the one that struggled the most to hide what she was really feeling. "Meika, at least eat some of your chicken. You need protein."

"I'm not really hungry." Meika said quietly. She simply continued poking her food around on the table. She ignored Hakkai and Goku's worried faces and Sanzo's irritated one.

Sanzo finally pulled her plate away from her. "If you aren't going to eat, then go upstairs and go to bed." He was rather surprised when Meika silently left the table and ran up the stairs of the inn they were staying at.

Meika wasn't alone for very long. She had just pulled her nightgown over her head when the others came up to the room. She didn't say anything to any of them and simply curled up on the bed beside the sleeping Hakuryuu. She really wasn't all that tired, but she didn't want Sanzo to yell at her again. He'd become a lot meaner and grouchier since Gojyo had left, though he denied it whenever the others made a comment. "GoGo, leave Hakuryuu alone." She said softly as Goku began poking at the snoring dragon.

"I'm so bored, though." Goku whined. He grinned triumphantly as Hakuryuu began to stir.

Before Meika could chastise Goku again, she heard a loud thump. She sat up in the bed and was surprised to see Hakkai giving Sanzo his 'I'm smiling at you because I'm really mad at you and I'm debating how best to deal with you' smile. Meika laid back down and curled up closer to Goku while he continued pulling on Hakuryuu's tail. "GoGo, he doesn't…" She flinched when Hakuryuu bit Goku and said boy yelped loudly. "I told you to stop."

"What is going on?" Hakkai asked, frowning as Hakuryuu flew into his arms and began chirping angrily.

"GoGo wouldn't leave Hakuryuu alone while he was trying to sleep." Meika answered, snuggling into Goku's side and sighing as he began playing with her hair.

Hakkai sighed, trying his best to soothe the distraught dragon. "You can't just interrupt his sleep like that, Goku."

"But…" Goku pouted and pulled Meika into his lap. He hugged her close to him and continued to play with her hair. "I'm bored. Everyone has started acting real weird. I know there's more room in Jeep, but it feels a lot smaller now."

Meika nodded in agreement. "It's too quiet." She added softly.

Sanzo rolled his eyes and lit another cigarette, ignoring the disapproving frown on Hakkai's face and Meika letting out a small cough as the smoke reached her. "Unless you two are going to start making sense, shut up."

"Hey!" Goku barked, holding Meika closer to him and snarling at the priest.

Hakkai stepped between the two quickly. "Now, Goku, don't lose your temper. Meika, you're okay. There's no need for tears. Sanzo, stop taking your frustrations out on Goku and Meika."

Sanzo glared at Hakkai irritably. "What the hell are you talking about?" He snarled out, taking another long drag from his cigarette.

"You're smoking a lot more." Meika pointed out, flinching when Sanzo shot her a dirty glare.

Hakkai nodded. "Three times more than usual to be precise. The wrinkles between your eyes have gotten deeper as well. We have a serious problem on our hands. The closer we get to India, the more danger we are in. I'm amazed we've come this far with Gojyo missing."

Sanzo rolled his eyes and lit another cigarette. "Really? I think you're the one that's frustrated, Hakkai."

Meika shifted uncomfortably at not only the cold tone in Sanzo's voice, but the steely gaze that Hakkai gave Sanzo. She didn't like when they got like this. She didn't like when her family fought. "Please, calm down, both of you."

"Shut up, Meika." Sanzo snapped. "If you're so concerned about him, Hakkai, then maybe you should run away just like he did. Or maybe you're just mad at yourself because you knew he was going to run off and you didn't stop him."

Meika started bawling as Sanzo and Hakkai began yelling at each other. She buried her face in Goku's chest and cried as the Sanzo and Hakkai's yelling grew louder and louder. "Please stop! Please stop fighting! GoGo, make them stop!"

Goku frowned and held Meika closer. "Stop it, you guys! You're upsetting MeiMei with all your yelling! If we go back and get Gojyo, things won't be like this anymore!"

"I don't ever want to hear that name again!" Sanzo snapped, ignoring how Meika continued to wail.

Goku had had enough. He grabbed the pillow beside him and threw it straight into Sanzo's face. "Just shut up and listen to me!"

The room fell deadly quiet as everyone realized what Goku had just done. Meika clung to him tighter. "ZoZo is going to kill you." She whispered quietly to him. She blinked when the window was suddenly blown in and a large hoard of youkai stepped into the room. "There's an awful lot of them this time." She whispered as she stood up from the bed and formed a water ball in her hand.

Sanzo snarled irritably as he loaded his gun. "This is all happened because that damn moron left us."

"I couldn't agree more." Hakkai hissed, cracking his knuckles.

"Now I'm really mad." Goku summoned his weapon and the group all charged at the group of youkai.

Meika took all her anger and frustration out on the poor, unsuspecting youkai assassins. She ducked and rolled and struck out at any that got too close to her. "What are we going to do once we're done here, ZoZo?"

"We're backtracking and finding that idiot!" Sanzo snarled. "When we find that son of a bitch, I'm going to blow his damn brains out!"

* * *

"Hey, ZoZo," Meika piped up as they continued their long backtrack to find Gojyo. "what are you going to do if JoJo is already dead?" She felt lighter and happier ever since they had decided to go back for Gojyo.

"I will personally drag him from Hell and bring him back here so I can kill him myself." Sanzo growled. "I can't believe we're wasting all this time to get that idiot back."

Hakka smiled and reached around to pat Meika on the head. "I'm sure Gojyo is alive. He's probably watching the sunset right now and smiling while he thinks about how worried we all are."

"That jerk!" Goku piped up from beside Meika. He yelped and grabbed Meika as Hakkai suddenly slammed on the accelerator and sent them flying backwards. "Hakkai!"

"Please hold on as I am now accelerating." Hakkai smiled eerily as he continued speeding up.

"You could've told us beforehand!" Goku whined. He grinned and hugged Meika close as they continued on. "I'm glad that you aren't sad anymore."

Meika looked up at Goku. "We'll find him, right?"

"Of course!" Goku grinned brightly. The rest of the ride was fairly quiet. They eventually made it back to the mountain entrance. At least, where they thought the mountain entrance was.

"I don't remember those trees…" Meika said thoughtfully as she looked up at the forest that had magically appeared in the four days they'd been gone. "Can trees get that big that fast? Are they magic trees?"

"I liked you better when you were quiet and pouting." Sanzo muttered.

"Let's just hack our way in and find Gojyo!" Goku shouted excitedly. He ran into the tree line and disappeared for a few moments. He suddenly reappeared right in front of the other three, all of them blinking at each other. "That's weird…" He ran back into the trees and reappeared in the exact same spot. "What's going on?"

"Maybe the trees don't like you." Meika offered.

Hakkai chuckled and patted Meika's head. "It's nothing like that. It's probably a barrier."

"Nobody in town has seen Gojyo for a few days." Sanzo muttered thoughtfully. "Which means he's probably in the barrier on the mountain."

Meika's eyes widened in horror. "What if he's lost? Or hungry? What if he really is dead?"

"Sanzo, this barrier wasn't here when we were last here." Hakkai said, pulling Meika to his side to try and reassure her. "Which means, this barrier was more than likely set up by 'Kami-sama'."

Sanzo sighed in annoyance, debating on whether or not to just leave Gojyo. He decided not to only because they'd wasted so much time trying to find him. He loaded his gun and pointed it towards the trees. "If this barrier was created with nen, I should be able to break it with an attack reinforced with nen." He shot multiple rounds into the tree line. For a moment, nothing happened.

Meika yelped as the bullets suddenly came flying back at them. She clung tightly to Hakkai as he shoved her to the ground. When the bullets finally stopped, she carefully sat back up and glared at Sanzo. "You tried to kill us!"

"Oh, shut up." Sanzo rolled his eyes and roughly patted Meika on the head. "You didn't die, so you're fine. Maybe this barrier is made with some special kind of spell…" He looked between Meika and Goku before sighing. "Goku, to break this spell, I'm going to need you." He rummaged around in Jeep until he found a permanent marker. "Take your clothes off, Goku."

Meika blinked as Goku shouted in protest. She watched with mild interest as Goku reluctantly complied and Sanzo began writing all over him. "What are you doing to GoGo, ZoZo?"

"With those tantras on him, Goku will be able to enter the shield." Sanzo answered coolly. "There should be some sort of charm or mirror near the entrance. Break it and we can get in." Sanzo instructed Goku.

"Why did I have to strip and get written all over?" Goku whined.

Hakkai smiled as he held onto Goku's clothes. "Sanzo has to write the tantras and I'm bigger than you so I have more surface area."

"What about MeiMei?" Goku whined again, ignoring the glare she sent him.

"I'm not having a little girl strip down so I can write on her." Sanzo said calmly. "That would be inappropriate."

"You can do it, GoGo!" Meika cheered as Goku yelled in frustration and ran into the forest. She giggled at the sounds of something breaking. "I think GoGo is really mad now."

Hakkai chuckled and took Meika's hand. "Let's go find Gojyo."

The three followed after Goku into the forest to find their lost companion.


	51. Reunited

**Hello again! Sorry about the delay in updates. I've started NaNoWriMo this month so that's kind of consuming my life right now.**

**Sakura02: Well, you know Meika wouldn't have sat very still either. She'd probably pull and James and start throwing a fit.**

**Thanks: Night-Mare-Crimson, Saiyuri Haruno, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, CBarbie92, KaKashiisWifey, AdaYuki, and Princesa de la Luna for reviewing!**

* * *

Meika glanced at Sanzo out of the corner of her eye. He was just sitting there, staring absently up into the sky and smoking his cigarette. Surely now she could…

"Don't even think about it." Sanzo said coolly, grabbing Meika by the collar of her dress and pulling her back to sit beside him. "You are not going swimming and that's final."

"But GoGo is swimming." She whined, tugging on Sanzo's sleeve. "Why can't I go swimming?"

Sanzo rolled his eyes and pulled his sleeve from Meika's grasp. "He's not swimming; he's getting the writing off of him."

Meika huffed and crossed her arms. "You never let me have any fun."

"So, Sanzo, why do you think Kami-sama set up this barrier?" Hakkai quickly interjected when he saw Sanzo raising his hand. He didn't think the priest would ever really strike Meika, but he knew that Sanzo was on edge right now and he didn't want to risk it.

Sanzo lowered his hand and shrugged. "Who knows? You can ask him when we find him since I'm sure we'll be seeing that whack job soon enough."

"Hey, look what I found!" Goku called, running over to the group with only his boxers on. He held out snubbed out cigarette proudly. "It's got to be Gojyo's." He handed the cigarette over to Sanzo and began putting his clothes on.

Meika clapped her hands together excitedly. "So, we just have to go that way and we'll find JoJo!" She pointed to a large patch of forest that was completely overgrown and virtually impossible to get through. Though Meika wasn't quite as furious as Sanzo and the others, she did feel a sense of annoyance wash over her. "JoJo is in big trouble when we find him."

"I couldn't agree more." Hakkai said as the group began the slow going through the underbrush. He really hoped Gojyo was alive when they found them. He'd be very upset if he wasn't able to kill him.

"ZoZo, HaHa, keep up!" Meika called excitedly. It had taken them quite a few hours to make their way through the forest and to finally reach the mountain. She wasn't sure how long they'd been walking up the staircase, but she didn't mind. It simply meant they were getting closer and closer to Gojyo and that was all that mattered to her. She didn't even mind the strange fog.

Goku came to an abrupt halt in front of Meika, causing the little girl to slam into him. "Um, is that who I think it is."

Meika's shout of protest died in her throat as she peered around Goku. Her eyes widened in surprise. "JoJo!"

Gojyo stood on the stairway, a few steps above the shocked group. "Hey guys. What's up?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Goku shouted. "Where the hell is that freaky god dude?"

Gojyo grinned widely at the group. "I totally just whooped that punk. We should get out of here since there's nothing left for us to do here." He blinked as Meika was suddenly standing before him. He crouched down and grinned at the little girl. "Hey, sweetie. I'm sorry. I made you worry, didn't I?"

"Asshole!" Meika screamed, punching Gojyo right in the nose and knocking him on his back.

Gojyo didn't have time to be shocked as Hakkai was suddenly stepping rather hard on his hand. "Hakkai?"

Hakkai grinned eerily down at him. "I'm actually rather shocked that you have the audacity to come back as though nothing happened."

Sanzo loaded and cocked his gun, pointing it right at Gojyo's head. "Do you really think we came all the way here to get you? Do you realize how much time we wasted on you? You're going to pay."

Gojyo yelped as Sanzo shot multiple rounds at him. He managed to get away and summon his weapon, swinging it menacingly at the group. He glared down at the group that was looking at him in shock and annoyance. "How'd you know I was a fake?"

The group all looked curiously at each other. Meika frowned and cracked her knuckles. "This jerk isn't the real JoJo? GoGo, let's beat him up!" She tried to manipulate the earth beneath the stairs, but found she was unable to. Deciding not to bother with it, she simply summoned a water orb and charged at the fake Gojyo with Goku close behind her.

"Meika, Goku, pretend it's the real Gojyo." Hakkai shouted encouragingly. "It'll make you feel better!"

"All this crap is your fault!" Goku grit out as he locked weapons with the fake. "Sanzo's madder than usual, Hakkai's scary, and MeiMei is crying all the time! To make it all worse, I spent my afternoon getting painted on instead of eating!" He knocked the fake off balance with his weapon and grinned.

Meika managed to finish knocking the fake down by shooting her water orb right in his face. "You're so selfish! How could you leave us like that? How could you leave me?"

Hakkai smiled calmly as he walked over to the fallen fake. He held the fake's arm in both his hands. "The next time you feel the desire to leave, please stop yourself from doing so." His smile widened as he broke the fake's arm with ease.

"This is like a dream come true." Sanzo said, smirking creepily and causing Meika to shudder. "I finally get to shoot your sorry face."

Meika actually winced as the bullet went through the fake's head. She was reminded that it wasn't the real Gojyo, though, when he turned into many beads. "Are we going to find the real JoJo now?"

"Of course." Hakkai said, huffing in annoyance. "That wasn't nearly satisfying enough. The real Gojyo would've put up more of a fight."

Meika and Goku were once again running ahead of Hakkai and Sanzo. She hoped that the others had at least worked off some of their anger. She didn't really want them to kill Gojyo. Horribly maim him, maybe, but not kill him. She looked up and let out a sudden whoop of joy. "I see the top!"

It was a good thing Sanzo was still pretty mad when they reached the top. If he hadn't been, he may not have had his gun already out and loaded. He may not have been able to shoot the beads that were dangling the very real and very injured Gojyo above the ground.

"What are you guys doing…" Gojyo didn't get to say anything else Meika ran over and slugged him square in his face. "Meika, what the hell?" He yelped as the others were suddenly there, all four of them kicking and punching him. "Knock it off!" Gojyo shouted, managing to shove them all away from him. "What the hell is wrong with all of you?" He blinked as Meika latched onto his arm and began crying. "Meika…Baby Girl…don't cry…"

"You're the meanest ever, JoJo." She sniffled out while the others moved in front of Gojyo.

Gojyo hugged Meika tightly and kissed her head. "I'm so sorry. I won't leave you again. I promise."

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "Shut up with the sappy nonsense back there." He glared over at Kami-sama who was grinning widely. "Sorry, but the job of killing this waste of skin is ours. Don't barge in on our territory."

Kami-sama's grin never wavered. "No, that won't do. He's my new toy."

Meika shuddered and prepared to fight. She had a bad feeling about all this, but if they had to fight this creep to get her family back together, then she would fight him to her last dying breath.


	52. Lost Battle

**I'm so sorry, everyone! I hate not updating for long periods of time like this. November has been a rather chaotic month between NaNoWriMo, trying to find a second job, Thanksgiving, and becoming a Dual Major. I hope you will all forgive me and continue reading and reviewing!**

**Sakura02: I forgot what a creeper Kami-sama was…**

**Thanks: KaKashiisWifey, LilyT93, H-Dawg-luvs-anime, DarkspinVargas, AdaYuki, Princesa de la Luna, and Sayuri Haruno for reviewing!**

* * *

Hakkai glared over at the smirking Kami-sama, cracking his knuckles rather threateningly. "Meika, do you recall telling this man that he could keep Gojyo as his toy?"

Meika remained at Gojyo's side, clinging tightly to his arm. "No way! Gojyo belongs to us, so you can't have him!" She glared furiously over at Kami-sama whose casual smile hadn't left his face once.

"Hey!" Gojyo protested, his voice strong despite the beating he had taken from both Kami-sama and the group. He pushed Meika protectively behind him. "I'm the one killing this creep! You really think I'm just going to step aside and let you guys fight my battle?" He blinked when Meika lightly bonked him on the side of the head.

"You should happily accept our help." Meika said, waving her finger in Gojyo's confused face. "You were getting your butt kicked when we got here."

Goku sighed in annoyance. "Can we all just stop talking and start fighting?" He snapped impatiently.

Gojyo finally grinned and stood up with Meika still latched onto his arm. "That's cute. The Saru is talking all tough."

"Shut up, you stupid hairy cockroach!" Goku howled furiously. "MeiMei, tell him to shut up."

Meika remained attached to Gojyo's arm and sighed at both Goku and Gojyo. "You both need to shut up."

Hakkai chuckled lightly and smiled over at the other three. "My goodness, it feels good for everyone to be back together." He glanced over at Sanzo and saw the priest rolling his eyes. "Aren't you happy to see Meika smiling again."

Sanzo glanced over at the little girl that was still clinging desperately to Gojyo and saw her usual smile was once again on her face. He rolled his eyes again and shrugged. "I could care less what she does as long as she's not whining. I hate the whining."

"Whatever you say, Sanzo." Hakkai said.

They all froze when they heard Kami-sama laughing hysterically. Sanzo glowered over at the laughing man. "What's so funny, Freak?"

Kami-sama wiped tears of mirth from the corners of his eyes. "You guys actually think you can beat me? You're all so weak though! You'll never be able to beat me in a million years!"

Meika glared at Kami-sama and finally released Gojyo. "Can we beat him up now?"

Again, Kami-sama laughed. "Blondie-san, you're a Sanzo priest, right?" When all he received from Sanzo was a glare, Kami-sama continued. "You shouldn't bother being one. You're not fit for this job. I mean, bringing a little kid on this journey of yours? You really must not care if she dies or not." He laughed and easily dodged the bullet Sanzo shot at him. "Oh, did I make you mad? Does that mean I'm right?"

Goku lunged forward and slammed his staff into the wall where Kami-sama had just been. He looked around quickly, trying to locate the psychopath.

"Oh, I'm glad I dodged that." Kami-sama whistled from right behind Goku.

"Meika!" Hakkai called the little girl to his side. "Goku, get down!" Hakkai shouted, shooting a blast of energy at Kami-sama while Meika summoned her water dragon.

Meika flinched when Kami-sama easily dodged their attacks and stood on the rubble of what had once been a wall. This guy was definitely a freak and Meika didn't like him one bit. "Stop running away, you big chicken!"

Kami-sama looked worriedly at all five of them. "This isn't very fair, you know. There's five of you and only one of me."

"Would you just shut up?" Goku hissed. "We want a real fight!"

Kami-sama sighed and a strange weapon appeared in his hand. "Well, if you insist. I'll just show you a little, okay?"

Sharp, searing pain was all Meika felt. She barely registered her own body hitting the ground. She couldn't move and all she felt was unbelievable pain and her own blood rushing out of her body. She'd never felt this kind of pain before and she could barely keep her eyes open. Meika began crying and calling out for her family. She was so scared and everything hurt so much. She idly wondered if she was going to die. Her ears were ringing and she could barely hear what was going on around her. The last thing she saw was a seriously wounded Gojyo reaching out to her before she finally blacked out.

* * *

Meika was awoken to the feeling of someone gently stroking her hair. She turned her head to the side and saw Gojyo sitting beside her. She frowned when she realized she couldn't see very well. Reaching up to her face, she found the left side of her face was completely wrapped in bandages. She tried to sit up, but Gojyo's hand gently forced her back down. "Where's ZoZo, HaHa, and GoGo? Are they okay? Are you okay?" She reached out for Gojyo only to see her hand was completely bandaged up with only the tips of her fingers poking through.

Gojyo smiled and gently took her hand in his. He was bandaged all over as well. "Sanzo is still sleeping in the other room, Hakkai is right over there, and Goku…Goku's outside."

Again, Meika tried to sit up. This time, it was Hakkai's quiet plea that made her lay back down. Meika bit her lip to try and keep herself from crying. She wasn't sure what was making her cry, and no amount of hugs and kisses from Gojyo seemed to make her stop. She was relieved that everyone was safe and alive, but they had lost badly. She was finally allowed to sit up at the sound of screaming coming from the other room. "ZoZo?"

"Meika, stay here!" Gojyo ordered, running out of the room.

Hakkai pulled himself from his own bed and hobbled over to Meika's. He smiled weakly at the little girl and helped her out her bed. Meika barely glanced at herself in the mirror. She wasn't wearing a shirt at all, her entire chest completely covered in bandages. Half of her head was wrapped as were both her arms. "I look like a mummy." She muttered.

Hakkai smiled weakly. "I'm so sorry, Meika." He gently took Meika's hand and tugged her out of the room and down the hallway to Sanzo's room.

Meika peered into the room around Hakkai and flinched. She'd never seen Sanzo crying and screaming like that before. It frightened her to see someone she always considered so strong in such a wounded state. Before anyone could say anything, she was at Sanzo's side, her tiny bandaged hands resting against his much larger hand. She could feel her tears soaking through her bandages as she leaned over and kissed Sanzo's cheek. "It's okay, ZoZo. Please don't cry."

She suddenly felt very weak and everything began tilting. She felt strong arms grab her before her whole world once again went black.


	53. Mahjong

**Sakura02: Hey! It's not my fault our babies our emo :P**

**Thank you: AdaYuki, Saiyuri Haruno, LilyT93, Slytherin Studios, DarkspinVargas, and rinpup14 for reviewing!**

* * *

Meika sighed at the sound of angry shouting coming from the room they were all staying in again. It looked as though Sanzo had once again woken up, and that he and Gojyo were once again fighting. She really didn't want to listen to their screaming, but she didn't want to stay out in the hallway either. Just as she was about to go back into the room, she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. "Where've you been, GoGo?" She tilted her head to the side when she realized he was carrying something rather large. "What's that?"

Goku grinned at the little girl. "Can you open the door for me, MeiMei?" He smiled reassuringly at her while the voices in the room continued rising in anger and volume. "It'll be okay. Trust me."

Meika flinched as soon as the door opened. Sanzo was trying to punch Gojyo while Hakkai tried to calm both the men down. The room fell completely silent as Goku calmly sat up a small, low table and threw a cloth on top of it. It took Meika a moment to recognize the tiles that had been sitting in the middle of the cloth. "Oh! Are we going to play Mahjong?"

"Yup." Goku said, motioning for Meika to come join him. He hugged the little girl close to him, being mindful of all the bandages and her injuries.

Hakkai was the first of the others to sit down beside Goku. He smiled at Goku and Meika before looking over at Gojyo with a deadpan expression. "You too, Gojyo."

Gojyo opened his mouth to protest, but stopped when he saw the serious look on Hakkai's face and Meika's pleading puppy eyes. He frowned in annoyance before plopping down on the other side of Goku and Meika.

"You too, ZoZo." Meika said, grinning up at the clearly irritated priest.

Sanzo snarled at all of them. "The hell I am! Move out of my way! You're all blocking the door!"

Hakkai smiled coolly. "My, it must have been torture for you to accompany us this far. Now then, sit down, Sanzo."

Sanzo was about to protest again, but he was roughly yanked down by Gojyo. Gojyo glared over at the equally annoyed priest. "If I'm getting stuck playing, I'm taking you with me."

Sanzo's shouts of protest fell on deaf ears. Goku was busy shuffling and passing out the tiles and Hakkai was explaining the rules to Meika. Meika snuggled up to Goku's side as they all began playing. She wasn't really sure how to play, so she simply watched Goku. "Hey, GoGo, why are we playing Mahjong? Are you planning something?"

Goku blinked, though his eyes never once left his tiles. "Huh? Nope, I'm not planning anything." His eyes suddenly lit up and he grinned. "I got 1,500 points!"

Meika flinched at the clearly annoyed look on Sanzo's face as the priest stood up. "ZoZo…"

Goku simply looked up at Sanzo coolly. "You really wanna leave a loser, Sanzo?" He didn't even smirk in satisfaction when Sanzo sat back down in a huff.

Meika remained totally silent, watching Goku beat all three grown men multiple times. She had never seen Goku win so much against the others in Mahjong. Usually it was Hakkai or Sanzo in the lead, and Goku was always in last place. Meika shifted beside Goku, trying to find a more comfortable position only to find her feet were asleep. She looked out the window and was shocked to see that the sun had almost completely set. "GoGo, you're doing awesome!"

Goku shrugged nonchalantly and glanced casually up at the other three men seated around the table. "It's not that, though I am really awesome. They're all just being weak. It's easy to beat guys like you that have already decided to lose. I don't plan to lose anymore."

Gojyo snarled at Goku and slammed down a tile irritably. "You got your ass kicked just as bad by Kami-sama as we did! Where do you get off talking to us like that? All your positive thinking means shit when it comes to that fact that he's stronger than us!"

"That doesn't mean we have to play to lose!" Goku argued. "I don't understand what's wrong with you guys! Everything that psycho said was complete crap! What's so wrong with wanting to live? If we give up and die, we're letting him think he's right! It's not like I think I'm cool or anything like that; we just do what we want the way we want! Even if people think I'm a stupid kid, I know I'm right and that freak is wrong! I'm never gonna lose to a guy like that! What about you, MeiMei? Do you want to lose to a freak like that?"

"No way!" Meika shouted, puffing her cheeks out. "I hate losing! Losing is for losers and idiots! I like the way we live and I like living!"

Hakkai chuckled, surprising Gojyo and annoying Sanzo. "My, we've created quite the little monster. I must agree with Goku, though; this is exactly what we need right now…" His eyes lit up as he suddenly won the current hand.

Gojyo looked over at Goku's stubborn face, Hakkai's smiling one, and Meika's petulant one. He grinned and reached over to ruffle Meika's hair. "Who said anything about being ready to die?"

Meika frowned thoughtfully. "I thought you did, JoJo!"

"Nope. Ha, I win!" Gojyo grinned triumphantly and threw down his winning tile. "I'm just getting started now!"

Meika smiled as the familiar sound of playful arguing surrounded her. She glanced worriedly over at Sanzo, hoping he wouldn't start yelling again. She blinked as Sanzo suddenly began laughing. "Um, I think ZoZo's gone crazy."

"Shut up, brat." Sanzo said, though there was no anger behind the words. "We're playing again, and I'm winning this time."

They all fell asleep that night around the Mahjong table. Meika snuggled happily against Goku, glad that her dysfunctional family was back to normal.

* * *

"I'm hungry again!" Goku whined, adjusting Meika on his back. After a few days of recovering, the group had made their way back to the mountain that Kami-sama resided on. Goku turned his head so he was nose to nose with Meika. "MeiMei, I'm so hungry."

Meika smiled and rubbed her nose against Goku's. Her bandages were all gone now, as were Sanzo's and the others. "We ate before we came here. Stop being such a piggy." She tensed and clung tighter to Goku when a very familiar and very disliked figure appeared before them.

Kami-sama giggled joyfully. "You all came back? You must all be really stupid. "It doesn't matter how hard you try. You can't beat…me…" Kami-sama's eyes widened in surprise when Sanzo casually shot him in the head.

"Good shot, ZoZo!" Meika cheered. She stuck her tongue out at the Kami-sama illusion when it disappeared.

Sanzo rolled his eyes and patted Meika roughly on the head. He glared up at the building where Kami-sama was waiting for them. "I'm taking back what's mine." He hissed.

Meika slid off of Goku's back once they'd kicked in the front door and walked in. She held Gojyo's hand tightly and looked around slowly. "Where's Kami-sama?"

_"Welcome!" _An oddly mechanical voice spoke. _"Beyond this point is a non-smoking zone. Refrain from cigarettes, please. Also, no firearms are allowed."_

"We're going through those doors that the creepy voice is coming out of, aren't we?" Meika sighed when Hakkai simply chuckled and nodded his head. She grinned widely up at Gojyo. "Let's go kick Kami-sama's butt!"

"Don't think I've forgotten about that foul language you used when we were first here." Sanzo grit out. "You're in serious trouble once we take care of this asshole."

Meika sighed as Sanzo pushed the door open. "Yes sir." She jumped back and hid behind Gojyo when a small, strange looking doll in a sailor suit appeared in the doorway. It had a bear head and a rabbit head and was the source of the mechanical voice.

_"Hello!"_ the strange doll greeted brightly. _You our lucky tour group number forty-eight to have the pleasure of entering Kami-sama's castle. There is no time limit for the main attraction, but please keep in mind that once the ride starts, it cannot be stopped."_ The doll looked up at Gojyo who was casually smoking. _"Sir, please refrain from smoking."_

Gojyo howled with laughter. "If I won't quit when my sweet little Meika asks me, I sure as hell ain't going to do it for you."

_"You've already been informed about smoking and firearms, but children and pets are also not allowed." _The doll informed.

"I don't care what that creepy doll says!" Meika huffed. "I'm going to help kick Kami-sama's butt!" She looked up when she heard a strange noise. Her eyes widened and she tugged quickly on Gojyo's pants. "JoJo…"

Hakkai barely had time to scoop Meika up before the first stone slab fell down from the ceiling and nearly crushed Meika. Hakkai yanked Goku to his feet. "This way!"

Meika clung to Hakkai as the group ran towards the stairs. "I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die! Please, please, don't let me die!" She breathed a sigh of relief once they reached the safety of the stairs. "Do you think Kami-sama is at the top?"

"Of course." Sanzo said casually, lighting another cigarette. "Smoke and idiots rise to the highest places in buildings."


	54. Pretty Things

**kakashiiswifey: The last line was from the manga. I wish I had been clever enough to come up with it myself.**

**Sakura02: I love Sanzo. He's so silly in his own way.**

**Thank you: AdaYuki, Saiyuri Haruno, SaiyukiSucker, HiddenXEmotion, Princesa de la Luna, and The white dragon demon Hiryu for reviewing!**

**The next chapter will start Saiyuki Reload!**

* * *

"I'm gonna kill Kami-sama when we find him." Meika grouched out. She did not find the way Kami-sama had built his home amusing at all. There had been fires, labyrinths, and a particularly nasty tiger. Needless to say, Meika was tired, hungry, and extremely cranky. "Are we on the top floor yet?"

"Do you see anymore stairs?" Sanzo snapped. He was just as irritated about the whole situation as Meika was, if not more so. Sanzo pushed the door open, eager to be done and over with the whole Kami-sama business.

"Congratulations!" The strange and creepy doll from the first floor was there, grinning eerily at all of them. "You've reached the top floor in record time!"

Gojyo snarled at the strange doll. "How the hell did you get up here so fast?"

"I took the elevator." The doll giggled.

Meika could feel herself getting more and more annoyed with each passing moment. "Where is that creep, Kami-sama?"

The doll cocked its head to the side, its smile never leaving its face. "You mean my master? He's on the first floor."

It took Meika a moment to realize the floor beneath their feet was no longer there. She took in a deep lungful of air and screamed. The feel of the wind whipping about as the group fell at a breakneck speed frightened Meika. "I don't wanna be a pancake!"

Hakkai reached out and pulled Meika close to him. "Hold on tight, Meika!"

Meika buried her face in Hakkai's neck and whimpered. This was not at all how she'd envisioned herself dying. A small yelp tore from her mouth when they hit the ground. After a moment, she reluctantly opened her eyes. She looked warily around and saw they had landed on a floor completely covered in stuffed animals and toys.

"Are you okay, Meika?" Hakkai asked worriedly, sitting up with the little girl still held tightly in his arms. He brushed her hair from her face and was relieved to see she looked confused, but not hurt. "Is everyone alive?"

"Where the hell is that damn Kami-sama?" Gojyo snarled, standing up and rubbing his sore butt.

"I don't like this place." Meika whispered. She slid off of Hakkai's lap and stood on her own two feet. She looked up when an annoyingly familiar laugh filled the room.

Kami-sama stood at the top of the stairs in the room, laughing at all of them. "Wow, you're the first ones to make it to my toy chest! You guys are so much fun!"

Meika snarled up at the laughing man. Water was already wrapping around her arm. She was ready to attack at any given moment. She watched Kami-sama carefully, never moving from her spot beside Sanzo. She didn't even move when Sanzo shot at Kami-sama only to have the irritating man appear behind him. She knew Goku would handle him. While Kami-sama was distracted with dodging Goku's attack, Meika lunged forward and shot a water dragon at him.

Kami-sama frowned, barely managing to avoid Meika's attack. "Hey, you guys aren't being very fun today!" He was surprised when Gojyo was suddenly right beside him. Kami-sama moved out of the range of Gojyo's kick just in time. He turned around only to come face to face with Hakkai shooting an energy blast at him. Kami-sama snarled at all of them. "What's going on?"

Hakkai chuckled good naturedly. "It's simple really; you get close when you want to attack, run away when you get scared, and lash out when you are angered. It's easy to predict the actions of a child. I have plenty experience with juveniles, you see."

Goku laughed and poked Meika in the cheek. "He's talking about you, MeiMei!"

Meika glared up at Goku and stuck her tongue out. "No he's not. He's talking about you and JoJo. You two are the most childish in the group."

Hakkai would've commented on their conversation, but he was preoccupied with Kami-sama's beads wrapping tightly around his neck. He wasn't worried, though. He was soon released by Sanzo shooting a bullet straight into the beaded necklace and breaking the part that had a hold of Hakkai.

Kami-sama took a hesitant step back when the group surrounded him, all of them looking at him with cool eyes. "Don't look at me like that! You're all weak! Not me!"

Meika tried to hold in the yelp of pain when Kami-sama shot all of them just like he had done before. They all fell to the ground, but Meika was surprised to find it didn't hurt as much as last time.

Kami-sama pouted angrily at the group. "You guys are mean! Why won't you just surrender?"

"You still don't get it." Sanzo grit up, slowly pushing himself up into a kneeling position.

"Can you stand up, Meika?" Hakkai asked, holding his injured arm.

Meika nodded and shakily stood up without Hakkai's offered help. She held her side which hurt more than anywhere else. She could feel the blood rushing out between her fingers, but she didn't care. All she cared about was beating Kami-sama once and for all. "We're not the weak ones, you are!"

"Listen you psychotic shit." Sanzo hissed out. "You may think this life and death thing is just a game, but we're gambling here. We aren't gambling our lives here, though."

"When did we start gambling, HaHa?" Meika asked, confused.

Hakkai chuckled and patted her head. "Don't worry about it, Meika. Just focus."

For the next few minutes, Kami-sama continued to knock the group down. Each time, they got back up. Kami-sama glared angrily at all of them. "Meanies! I don't care how many times you try, you can't beat me! You can't even touch me!"

Meika found that it got harder and harder to stand up each time. She got up each time, though. Sanzo and the others kept getting up on their own, despite how badly they were hurt. She wanted to be like the four of them. She wanted to be just as strong as they were and stand on her own two feet without anyone's help.

"Just stop it!" Kami-sama screamed at the group, becoming more and more agitated each time they got up. "Sensei says that being stubborn never gets you a girl!"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Meika asked, looking up at Goku who shrugged. "I like stubborn boys."

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "You're too little to know what you like." He glanced up at Kami-sama and smirked, ignoring Meika's shout of protest at being called little. "Your sensei was Ukoku, right? I tend to repress things that piss me off, so it took me a while to remember. You haven't changed much in the past ten years."

Meika blinked and looked back up at Goku. "ZoZo and Kami-sama know each other?"

Goku shrugged. "I guess so." They listened to Sanzo quickly explain his first encounter with Kami-sama and the Sanzo priest that had taken Kami-sama in. "So, this guy is a Sanzo priest?"

"No way! You're not cool enough to be a Sanzo like my ZoZo!" Meika protested.

Kami-sama smirked triumphantly at all of them. "I am a Sanzo priest. My sensei was the best. He can do anything and he knows everything. He built this castle and named me a Sanzo priest. So, see? I am a real Sanzo priest?"

Meika frowned and looked over at Sanzo. "Then, why'd you have to take ZoZo's Maten Kyomon? Shouldn't you have your own sutra?"

Sanzo smirked when Kami-sama's face fell. "I knew you were smarter than the other idiots, Meika. This guy is full shit. If you were a real Sanzo, you shouldn't have had to take mine. Your master never gave you his sutra. You never told us your name because you probably don't have a proper Buddhist title as a Sanzo. You may have inherited the clothes, power, and castle from your master, but he still never gave you the title of Sanzo."

"Shut up!" Kami-sama screamed furiously.

Meika looked down when she felt something crawling up her leg and screamed. "The toys are gonna eat us!" She tried to look around and see the others, but the toys swarmed over her so quickly. She fell to the ground with the weight of the toys crushing her. She took a deep breath to try and calm herself from panicking. Sanzo would do something. There's no way he'd accept getting killed by a bunch of toys. She managed a small smile when she heard Sanzo's voice chanting. After a moment, the toys were all thrown off of her.

"You okay, MeiMei?" Goku asked, dragging himself over to the little girl.

"Yeah. You?" She reached out a wiped away the blood from Goku's cheek.

Kami-sama snarled at all of them, but mostly at Sanzo. "Give it back!" He screamed, stomping his foot.

"He throws worse fits than I do." Meika said, earning her a grin from Gojyo and Hakkai.

Gojyo lunged forward and grabbed Kami-sama by his wrist. He lifted the smaller man off the ground and grinned. "It's been a long and annoying game of tag, but you're finally it!"

Meika flinched when Kami-sama managed to stab Gojyo with a strand of beads. She watched Gojyo throw Kami-sama into the opposite wall before he collapsed. She blinked when she felt Goku's hand land on her shoulder.

"Wanna help?" Goku grinned at Meika's enthusiastic nod. "Let's go."

Meika summoned another water dragon, hitting Kami-sama square in the chest with it at the same time that Goku attacked. She felt another of Kami-sama's attacks slam into her. She gasped and fell back, landing with a hard thud next to Goku. "Sanzo will beat him, right?"

"Yeah." Goku said quietly. He reached out and took Meika's hand in his. "You okay?"

"Yes." Meika answered. She could hear Sanzo talking to Kami-sama, but she couldn't quite make out what was being said. After a moment, she stood up along with Goku. The two, along with Gojyo, dragged their exhausted bodies over to where Hakkai lay. While Gojyo helped Hakkai up, Meika went over to where Sanzo was. She latched onto his side and looked down at the bleeding and beaten Kami-sama.

"You have so many things." Kami-sama whined, looking up pitifully at Sanzo. "Won't you give them to me?"

Sanzo placed a hand on Meika's head and pulled her closer to his side. He could feel the little girl's blood on his hand. He looked down and his purple eyes met her red ones. He finally looked back at Kami-sama with a smirk. "I won't."

Meika's grin was wiped off her face at the loud rumbling that suddenly reverberated through the castle. "What's that noise?"

Kami-sama blinked slowly. "Oh. I suppose the game is over now. Sensei promised me that this game would last until I lose."

"You're gonna get crushed if you don't hurry and get up!" Goku protested, his usual energy suddenly back.

Gojyo snarled and yanked Kami-sama into a semi-standing position. "I've had enough of your shit! This is just like Kinkaku and Ginkaku all over again! You managed to manipulate us. Good for you. Now get the hell up and move your ass!"

Meika's legs were shaking. She wouldn't be standing at all if it weren't for her grip on Sanzo and Sanzo's grip on her. She blinked when she was suddenly lifted up by Sanzo. She looked over her shoulder to see Kami-sama sitting on the ground, smiling at all of them. "We're really just going to leave him here?"

"It's what he wants." Sanzo grit out.

"Like Homura?" Meika asked softly, resting her head on Sanzo's shoulder.

Sanzo was silent for a moment before nodding. "Yes, like Homura."

"The door is locked!" Goku shouted, kicking futilely at the door that was their only means of escape. He blinked when Meika was roughly shoved into his arms by Sanzo.

"Get out of the way then!" Sanzo brought his gun up and shot the lock straight off the door. "Time to run or die!"

"Run, GoGo!" Meika shouted, holding tightly to Goku. "I don't want to die!" She used what little energy she had to shoot water blasts at the falling rubble that would crush them if it hit them. "I see the exit!" She screamed excitedly.

The group got out of the castle just before the castle exploded. They threw themselves to the ground to avoid being hit by any rubble. Meika held tightly to Goku even after he sat up. Once they were sure Kami-sama wasn't coming out of the rubble, they all collapsed to the ground.

"HaHa, everything hurts!" Meika whined. She curled up into Goku's side and nuzzled against him.

Hakkai laughed. "That's good, Meika. That means you aren't dead. Is anyone dead?"

"I don't think so." Goku said weakly. "Who was that whacko anyway?"

Sanzo shrugged. "Who knows and who cares. Just leave it at Kami-sama."

Goku opened his mouth to whine that he was hungry, but the others beat him to it. "Hey, don't steal my line!"

Meika giggled and slowly stood up along with the others. She hobbled over to Sanzo and latched onto his hand. "ZoZo, can I have a pitcher of chocolate milk?"

Sanzo nodded. "You can have whatever you want."

Meika was so excited that she didn't pay much attention to the fact that it was Sanzo that climbed into the driver's seat of Jeep. She plopped down in the back seat next to Goku and hugged him.

"We're dying and I'm hungry. This sucks." Goku grumbled, hugging Meika back.

"Let's make a bet." Gojyo piped up. "Whoever dies before we get to the city loses. If you lose, you get rolled out onto the main street naked with just a nipple ring."

Meika blinked and poked Sanzo in the back of the head. "What's a nipple ring?"

"What've I told you about talking about that kind of shit around her?" Sanzo snapped. He looked down at the floorboard and frowned. "This is the accelerator, right?"

Meika yelped and flew back into her seat. She clung tightly to Goku. "ZoZo, do you even know how to drive?"

"Good question." Sanzo muttered, jerking the wheel abruptly to the right.

"We're going to die!" Goku sobbed.

* * *

They all managed to make it back to the town with no one dying. They rested for a few days before Hakkai asked Gojyo to go shopping for supplies. Gojyo took Meika along with him and they went back out into the town where they'd met Kinkaku.

"JoJo, where are we going?" Meika asked curiously. They had gotten all the supplies they need, but Gojyo insisted they had one more stop. She blinked when they stopped in front of the vendor with all the dolls. Meika couldn't help smiling when she saw the simple doll she had liked was still there. She looked up and saw Gojyo reaching into his pocket. "ZoZo will get mad."

"I'm not using his damn credit card." Gojyo muttered. He pulled out a small wad of bills and handed it to the vendor. He took the doll off the shelf and handed it to Meika. He didn't bother telling her it had been his own money that he'd been planning to spend on cigarettes. The way Meika's eyes lit up when he put the doll in her arms made Gojyo grin like an idiot.

Meika hugged the doll tightly to her chest. She'd never had a doll before. "Thank you, JoJo! You're the best! I love you so much!" She latched onto Gojyo's hand and the two made their way back to the inn.

When they got back, Sanzo raised an eyebrow at the doll, but didn't say anything. He shoved a large bag towards the little girl. "Go try them on."

Meika released Gojyo's hand and went to peer in the bag. She let out a squeal of delight when she saw all the pretty dresses and nightgowns in the bag. "Thank you, ZoZo! I love you!" She rushed over and kissed the priest on his cheek, ignoring his half hearted growl of annoyance. She dragged the bag off to her room to try them on.

Gojyo put the bags of groceries on. "The great Sanzo priest spending money unnecessarily? The world must be ending."

Sanzo glared over Gojyo. "She needed new clothes." Why he hadn't bought the simple, brown and green dresses he had seen, Sanzo wouldn't say. He bought the ones that made him think of little Meika.

Meika smiled proudly and walked out in a pretty blue dress with soft blue slippers. She twirled around just as Hakkai and Goku came into the room. "Isn't it pretty?"

Hakkai walked over and smoothed out a small wrinkle in Meika's new dress. "Very. Here, I had this made for you."

Meika blinked at the simple pendant that Hakkai held up for her. It took her a moment to realize that the yellow flower Homura had given her was floating in the glass. "Thank you, HaHa." She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I love you."

Goku grinned and knelt down in front of her. He pulled her hair back with a simple white ribbon with gold trimming. "I thought you needed something pretty for your hair."

Meika grinned at all of them. She clutched her doll tightly to her chest. "Thanks, GoGo. I love you." She frowned suddenly. "Is it my birthday?"

Hakkai chuckled. "No, not yet." They had all spoken that night when they'd gotten back from the fight with Kami-sama. Meika had almost instantly fallen asleep and Hakkai had changed her into one of her nightgowns. He made the simple comment that there was a hole in it and that she needed knew clothes. Everything had snowballed from there. Gojyo had mentioned the doll and Goku pointed out how Meika would always look at all the other little girls with pretty dresses. None of them had said it, but Hakkai knew they had all been thinking it. They could have lost her during the fight with Kami-sama. She was smaller and weaker than all of them, though she tried to act strong.

Meika blinked when Gojyo suddenly hugged her tightly. "Are you guys okay? You're acting really weird."

Gojyo kissed the side of Meika's head and smiled. "We're fine, Meika. We're just fine."


	55. New Town, Same Routine

**We're now starting Saiyuki Reload in this chapter! Let's see what trouble Meika causes in this new story arc. :)**

**H-Dawg-luvs-anime: I'm going to be following the manga storyline. However, I will be adding in the episode with the kitty because I love that episode so much! I already have it all planned out and I'm very excited for it.**

**Sakura02: Uh, yeah. Anyone evil's real name is James. He even kinda looks like him XD**

**HiddenXEmotion: I will be continuing the story on this one. **

**Anne Fatalism Dilettante: Don't worry! Meika will continue until they finally defeat Gyumaoh! **

**Thanks: Saiyuri Haruno, CBarbie92, AdaYuki, KaKashiisWifey, Beryl Bloodstone, SaiyukiSucker, and Princesa de la Luna for reviewing!**

* * *

Meika sighed mournfully. She pulled disdainfully at the heavy brown cloak that covered her pretty purple dress. Meika really didn't understand why they had to wear the cloaks when they were inside the inn. It was all very silly to her. She looked up and saw a little girl around her age standing uncertainly in the doorway. She tugged on Hakkai's cloak, trying to get his attention. "Look, there's a little girl just like me."

Hakkai didn't get a chance to respond to Meika. He was busy with stopping Sanzo and Gojyo from killing each other in front of the very confused young woman that had checked them in.

The woman smiled down at Meika. "Your brothers are very interesting."

Meika nodded shyly. She latched onto Goku and hid behind him. Dinner went surprisingly smoothly, with hardly any fighting. Meika attributed this to the fact that Sanzo had threatened them all with bodily harm if they made a big scene. Once they were all finished with dinner, the young woman led them upstairs. Meika curled up in the middle of one of the beds and sighed happily. "Can we stay here forever, ZoZo? It's nice and peaceful here."

Sanzo lit a cigarette and shook his head. "We're staying the night and that's it. The sooner we get done with this damn journey, the sooner I can get rid of all of you. Don't you take that cloak off, young lady."

Meika pouted, but pulled her hood back over her head. "Why? It's hot and stuffy and I don't like it. We're the only ones in here."

"Quit complaining." Sanzo snapped irritably. "We keep wearing these things until people stop freaking out when they see us."

"They don't freak out when they see me." Meika pointed out. "You're the one they freak out over."

Hakkai smiled and sat beside Meika on the bed. He patted her head gently. "We need to preserve our cover for now. Just be patient for a little longer."

Gojyo rolled his eyes and put his nearly dead cigarette out in the ashtray. "Baby girl is right; the only one really screwed is him," he jerked his thumb in Sanzo's direction. "if our cover is blown."

Hakkai rolled his eyes and began tucking Meika into bed when Sanzo and Gojyo began fighting again. "Get some rest, okay? You need at least ten hours of sleep, and you never do when we camp out."

Meika nodded sleepily and snuggled deeper into the covers. She figured most people would have a hard time going to sleep with Gojyo and Sanzo yelling at each other, Hakkai trying to calm them, and Goku whining that he was still hungry. Not her, though. These sounds were her lullaby and what soothed her. She had just begun to fall asleep when the little girl from earlier barged in, looking at them all very surprised.

The little girl looked at the entire group in confusion. "I…I thought you guys were the youkai?"

Sanzo frowned and adjusted his cloak. "What are you talking about?"

The little girl quickly explained everything. She told them her name was Seika, and that for the past few months, women had been stolen away only to turn up dead and mutilated. Everyone in the village knew that it was youkai acting their village. Her older sister, Seira, had been the one that checked them in. She had gone to go buy groceries over three hours ago and had yet to return. Their uncle had found Seira's basket abandoned in an alleyway.

Sanzo sighed irritably and stood up. "Let's go."

Meika immediately shot out of the bed and rushed to catch up with Sanzo. "Are we going to beat them up?"

Hakkai sighed and took Meika's hand in his. "I was hoping you'd get enough sleep tonight. You're so irritable when you don't get enough sleep."

"I'm coming too!" Seika shouted, following quickly after the group. She hopped into the back of Jeep and wound up sitting right beside Meika. She blinked nervously when she noticed Meika staring intently at her. "What?"

Meika grinned at Seika. "I've never really gotten to talk with a girl my age before…or anyone my age really. Don't worry about your sister. ZoZo and the others will beat up whoever took her away."

Seika's eyes widened. She looked dubiously at the four men in Jeep. "Are they really that strong?"

"Yup!" Meika said proudly. "I'm strong too, but not as strong as them."

Hakkai abruptly pulled Jeep to a screeching halt when they saw Seira desperately trying to run away from three very human looking men. He sighed and looked in the back seat at the two girls. "Meika, please stay with Seika here. This won't take long."

"Okay." Meika said with a wide grin. "See, they're really strong." Meika pointed to where Sanzo and the others were easily knocking the human males around like they were nothing more than straw dummies. Meika looked over only to find that Seika had gone from her side and was running towards her older sister. "Hey, wait!"

Seira caught Seika in a tight hug. "What are you doing here, Seika?" She looked up when Meika ran over. "They let you two children come with them?"

"Well, we were supposed to wait in Jeep, but Seika didn't want to." Meika said, ignoring the violence happening only a few feet away from them. She noticed the shocked looks on Seira and Seika's face. When she looked over to see what was wrong, she saw Sanzo and the others had finally gotten rid of their cloaks. "Hooray! I hate wearing this stupid thing!" Meika threw her cloak up in the air out of pure joy.

Hakkai sighed and picked Meika's cloak up while Sanzo and the others finished dealing with the three men. "Let's go back to the inn. It's well past your bedtime, young lady."

The ride back into town was fairly silent. Meika and Seika fell asleep leaning against either side of Seira. Seira was in shock from what had just happened, though whether it was from being attacked or by the fact that Sanzo and his group had saved her, she wasn't sure. As soon as they reached the inn, Seira leapt out with Seika and excused herself.

Gojyo scooped Meika up and carried her up into the room. He had just tucked her in when Meika woke up. Gojyo smiled and kissed her cheek. "Go back to sleep, Meika. It's not time to wake up yet."

Meika looked over at Sanzo who was making himself comfortable on the other bed. "ZoZo, can I play with Seika tomorrow?"

"No." Sanzo said firmly. "We're leaving first thing in the morning."

"Oh." Meika flopped back down on the bed. "Okay."

The next morning came quickly, and Meika wasn't thrilled at all about them having to leave. She got dressed and followed Sanzo and the others down the stairs. She blinked and peered around Sanzo when the group abruptly stopped. Standing there to greet them was Seira, Seika, and their aunt and uncle. Meika could make out quite a few villagers standing outside the inn, trying to get a peek at them.

Goku tugged excitedly on Meika's hand. When she didn't respond to him, Goku yanked Meika up into the air and onto his shoulders. "Look at the food, MeiMei!"

Meika couldn't help drooling at all the food spread out on the table before them. Hanging over the table was a banner that read 'Welcome Sanzo and Friends' in big bold letters. Meika tugged on Goku's hair. "I wanna eat! I wanna eat!"

Seira's aunt smiled at the group. "Please accept this small token of appreciation from the town. We are so grateful for what you did last night."

Sanzo snarled. He hadn't wanted this kind of attention. He glanced over at Goku and Meika who were both drooling at the sight of the food. He yanked Meika off of Goku's shoulders and placed her on the ground beside him. "Thank you, but we must decline. We're in a hurry to move on. I don't know what rumors you people have been hearing, but we can't help you and we have no obligation to stay. Don't make that face."

Meika quickly wiped the pout from her face. She was really hungry and the food looked so good. She knew why Sanzo wanted to move on, so she did her best to not pout. She didn't protest when Gojyo picked her up.

Sanzo spun on his heels and began leading the group out of the inn. "If you'll excuse us, we'll be leaving now." He paused at the feel of a small hand tugging on his robe. He knew it couldn't be Meika, because she was perched in Gojyo's arms. He turned around only to find Seika standing there, her head lowered and her hand clenching tightly in Sanzo's robe. "Please stay. You're mad because I thought you were all youkai, right? I'm really, really sorry like that. You saved my sister, and I just wanna say thank you."

Meika's eyes lit up when Sanzo made an annoyed noise and sat down at the table. She leapt out of Gojyo's arms and into the seat next to Sanzo. She hugged Sanzo's arm tightly. "You're the best, ZoZo!"

"Shut up and eat." Sanzo grouched, already piling a plate full of food for the little girl. "You don't touch that chocolate milk until you eat your vegetables."

The villagers babbled excitedly while the group ate. "We don't have anything to worry about with Sanzo and his group here!"

Hakka paused in his attempt to get Meika to eat a piece of broccoli. "You all seem to be on a bit of a high youkai alert. Have you been having problems?"

One woman shook her head. "No, but we've been hearing about the attacks on other towns."

Meika whined in protest when she was roughly yanked from her seat by Sanzo. She reached pitifully for the glass of chocolate milk that was just out of her grasp now. "Why do we have to leave now? It's not like the youkai are going to attack right now."

"Where are you going?" Seika asked, following after the group as they left the inn.

Gojyo took Meika from Sanzo. "There's no time for pouting. I promise the next town we get to, you can have as much chocolate milk as you want." Once he received a reluctant nod from Meika, he put the little girl down. He turned his attention back to the confused and upset villagers. "I suggest you all get inside your homes and lock your doors. There's a whole lot of youkai coming this way."

Meika flinched, trying to block out all the hysterically screaming townspeople. "You all really should listen to JoJo. You're just going to get in our way if you don't leave."

Sanzo rubbed his temple irritably. This is why he hated dealing with people. "Shut up, all of you. Like I told you earlier, I don't know what rumors you've been hearing, but they aren't true. We're not traveling around exterminating youkai; they're coming after us." He pulled his gun out and nudged Meika with his foot.

Meika pouted up and Sanzo. "I'm ready! You don't have to be so cranky, ZoZo."

"Quiet." Sanzo said, shooting one of the first youkai that flew towards them.

Meika alternated between using her water magic and earth magic. She couldn't help the silly grin on her face. It had been a while since she had heard Sanzo and the others bantering back and forth. It wasn't long before all of the youkai were disposed of. "There haven't been that many in a long time."

Hakkai sighed and knelt down to try and wipe the blood from Meika's face. "Are you okay, Meika?"

"Yup." Meika said with a wide grin. She looked around only to see that all the villagers were now hidden away in their homes. "I guess they're scared of us now…"

"Can you really blame them?" Gojyo asked, picking Meika up from the ground. "This is probably the biggest body count we've ever had." They all whipped around when they heard Seira screaming for her little sister. He sighed and rolled his eyes when they saw that one remaining youkai had taken Seika hostage. "There's always some dipshit…"

Meika pinched Gojyo's arm. "That's not a nice word, JoJo. If I can't say bad words, than neither can you."

"Right, right. Sorry, baby girl." Gojyo cooed.

Sanzo sighed irritably. "I'm not giving you my sutra. We really don't give a damn about that kid. You could've even taken this one, and I still wouldn't give you the sutra." He flinched at the shriek of indignation Meika sent his way.

Seika looked down at the group with tears in her eyes. "I hate you, Priest Sanzo! I don't care what people say about you! You don't help anyone but yourself!"

"Finally, someone gets it." Sanzo grouched out. "I never became a priest to help people."

Meika looked over at Sanzo with hopeful and excited eyes. "We can still beat him up, though, right? Please, ZoZo?"

"Oh, what people must think of the way we've raised you." Hakkai sighed out. They were all rather surprised when the youkai suddenly sprouted wings and flew off with Seika. "Oh my…Jeep!"

"Hold on tight, MeiMei." Goku shouted excitedly once they'd all hoped into Jeep.

Meika looked worriedly up at the sky where the youkai was. "We're going to be in trouble if he gets out of town with her." She looked worriedly at the back of Sanzo's head. "You were lying when you said you didn't care, right, ZoZo?"

Sanzo didn't say anything, his eyes trained on the youkai. "Quiet for a minute. Jump!"

Meika was confused for a moment as to who Sanzo was telling to jump. When she saw the little girl suddenly falling from the sky, she realized it was Seika that he had been yelling to. She glanced over at where Goku had once been sitting only to realize he had leapt up into the air to deal with the flying youkai. She grinned at Seika when the little girl landed in Gojyo's arms. "Hi, Seika!"

Seika nodded slowly at Meika. "Yes…"

Hakkai parked Jeep and hopped out. He smiled calmly over at Meika. "Stay in the car with Seika, okay?"

"Okay, HaHa!" Meika said cheerfully.

"Are they always like this?" Seika asked, the two girls watching the group of men surround the fallen youkai.

"Pretty much." Meika said, still grinning. "They act really mean and scary, but they're all really nice. They're my family."

Seika blinked curiously. "Which one is your daddy?"

"None of them…I guess JoJo or ZoZo…probably ZoZo since he's the one that disciplines me." Meika answered, her grin still on her face.

"So, you don't know who your real mommy and daddy are?" Seika asked.

"No. Is that bad?" Meika asked, the grin slipping from her face.

Seika shrugged. "I don't know." She perked up when Sanzo and the others walked back over, missing the upset look that passed over Meika's face.

Hakkai drove Seika back into the village where her sister was waiting. He drove off before Seika even turned around to say goodbye. "Are you okay, Meika? You seem upset."

Meika plastered a quick grin on her face. "I'm fine. Just thinking." She looked up at the darkening sky and frowned. "Are we going to have to camp out again?"

"I'm afraid so." Hakkai answered slowly. He could tell something was bothering Meika, but he didn't want to press the little girl any further. "The next town isn't for another three days."

Goku let out a high pitched whine. "What about food? I'm still hungry!"

As Gojyo and Goku began fighting and whining, Sanzo reached back and yanked Meika into the front seat next to him. He roughly ruffled Meika's hair. "Stop making that face. You make everyone worry when you look like that." He pulled his gun out and pointed it into the backseat at Gojyo and Hakkai. "If you two don't stop fighting, I swear I'll fill you full of bullets so that you're pissing lead until next week!"

Meika giggled and leaned against Sanzo's side. All thoughts of what Seika had said about her real mother and father left her mind. She didn't need them. They'd abandoned her as a baby, and Goku had found her. These four were her family, and she didn't need anyone else.


	56. Snowy Mountain

**Sakura02: Haha, wrong Seika :P. Emiko's currently preoccupied. Yes, Meika doesn't need her real parents. She's got four crazy as hell pretty boys to take care of her. **

**Princesa de la Luna: At least one of Meika's real parents will be showing up during Reload (possibly), I don't think Meika's going to have any siblings, I don't know if I'm ever going to say who Yanmei's mother was. She was probably just a random girl.**

**Thanks: HiddenXEmotion, SaiyukiSucker, Saiyuri Haruno, Beryl Bloodstone, AdaYuki, sakura2112, cbarbie92, and Anne Fatalism Dilettante for your reviews!**

* * *

"Meika, get over here right now!" Sanzo snapped irritably.

Meika pouted and stopped building her tiny snowman. The group was currently crossing a large mountain and top it all off, it was snowing. The snow was so deep that it went up to about Meika's shins every time she took a step. Meika sloshed through the snow and over to Gojyo and the others.

Gojyo picked Meika up and nuzzled her red nose with his. "You doing okay, baby girl? Not getting too cold?"

"Nope." Meika answered, burrowing down deeper in her heavy cloak. She winced when the wind and snow suddenly picked up. "It's too cold!"

"We've got to find an inn or something!" Gojyo snapped, wrapping Meika up underneath his cloak as well.

Hakkai sighed. "The villagers said no one lives on this mountain."

"Jeez, I wonder why!" Gojyo snapped. All their complaints died when an arrow landed a few feet from Goku. "What the hell?"

Meika peered out from underneath Gojyo's cloak just as a rock flew past. "These assassins need better weapons…"

"I don't think they're assassins." Goku said, pointing up into a nearby tree.

The entire group looked up into the tree. Three small youkai children were perched up in the branches. Two had little bow and arrows while the other one had and armful of rocks. "Go away!" One of the children shouted. "We already told all the people in the village not to come up here!" Before the group could protest or defend themselves, the children started shooting arrows and throwing rocks at them again.

Gojyo adjusted Meika in his arms. "Any ideas, all mighty Sanzo?"

"Shut up and run!" Sanzo ordered.

Meika clung tightly to Gojyo. She couldn't see much from underneath Gojyo's cloak. All she knew is that one minute she could feel Gojyo running, and the next there was nothing but the air whistling around her. Everything went black as soon as they hit the ground.

Meika was the first of the group to wake up. She sat up and looked frantically around. When Meika realized she was in a warm and cozy cave, she became confused. She looked around her and saw that Sanzo and the others were still knocked out cold.

"Hey, you hungry, little girl?" A tall youkai male stood in the entrance to the cave. He dropped the cover back over the entrance to keep out the biting cold of the blizzard. He knelt down by the fire next to Meika and scooped out a bowl of stew for her. He smiled at the little girl when she hesitated. "It's not poison, I promise."

"Thank you." Meika took the bowl and almost immediately gulped down the entire bowl. She hadn't realized just how hungry she was. "Who are you?"

"I'm Yakumo. What's your name?" The youkai answered.

"Meika." Meika said softly. She looked around curiously. "Do you live here all by yourself?"

Yakumo chuckled. "No, not exactly."

Meika turned around when she heard a quiet rustling behind her. Her eyes lit up when she saw a small crowd of youkai children all hovering in a back area of the cave that had been covered by another cloth. She'd never been so close to so many children in all her life. She suddenly felt very shy at all the stares she was receiving. "Hi."

One of the older looking girls stepped forward. She picked up strands of Meika's hair and gasped. "Your hair is so pretty. I'm going to braid it!" The girl declared. She yanked Meika up off her sleeping mat and dragged her to the back where the other children were.

Yakumo laughed. "Don't worry. I'll call for you when your friends wake up."

"Sit, sit." The older girl demanded. She immediately began combing Meika's hair while the other children sat around. "Is that your family?"

Meika tried to nod, but the girl had a firm grip on her hair. "Yes." She blinked when three little boys shuffled forward nervously. "Oh, you were the three in the tree!"

"We're really sorry!" One boy said. "We didn't mean for all of you to fall off the cliff like that."

Meika smiled at the three. "It's okay. ZoZo and the others have been hurt a lot worse than that before." She felt the back of her hair once the older girl had finished. She threw the braid over her shoulder and looked at it. "Thank you."

"Wanna play with us?" A younger girl asked. For the next half hour, Meika played with the youkai children. She hadn't had this much fun with children her age ever. She'd always had Goku as her playmate, but Hakkai would never really let them play much since he worried about Goku hurting Meika. Meika was almost disappointed when she heard Yakumo calling for her.

"There's my baby girl!" Gojyo grinned when Meika came out with the rest of the children.

Meika rushed over and hugged Gojyo. "I made some new friends!" Meika cheered, her eyes sparkling.

Hakkai explained to Yakumo what it was that their group was trying to accomplish by heading West. Yakumo listened silently. "If you find out who caused this calamity, the youkai that went crazy might come back. Would that really fix everything, though?"

Hakkai raised an eyebrow. Meika had moved into his lap and was now happily cuddling with him. "What do you mean?"

"There's a lot of fear and distrust that the humans will have to get over." Yakumo said. "I'm not sure the humans will forgive us youkai."

"They will!" Meika said confidently. "If we explain everything to everyone, they'll understand. Things might not go back to normal right away, but the humans will eventually forgive." Meika perked up when she heard the sound of boots crunching in the snow outside. "Someone's here."

Yakumo frowned. "Kids, get to the back of the cave."

"You too, Meika." Sanzo said abruptly. He fixed Meika with a stern glare when she looked like she was about to protest.

Meika scurried to the back with the other children and hid in the back. She peered out from around the cloth with a few of the other children. The human men stood in the entrance of the cave with farming tools. They were shouting angry and hateful things at Yakumo about him and the youkai children. She made a move to step out from behind the cloth, but Sanzo seemed to sense her and sent her a sharp glare over his shoulder.

Sanzo lit a cigarette and glared irritably at the three humans. "Look, I get it. The youkai screwed you guys over. Killing these guys is in the best interest of the safety of your village and your families. However," He continued, ignoring Goku's shout of protest. "save for Yakumo, all the other youkai on this mountain are children. They're no different from the children in your village. If you can still murder them, even with that knowledge, you're neither human nor youkai."

Meika rushed out from the hiding place with the other children as soon as the humans left. She latched onto Sanzo's side and hugged him tightly. She glanced over at one of the little youkai children, Ryo was his name, sobbing to Yakumo. She wondered if she would've been treated with such anger and hostility if she hadn't been with Sanzo and the others.

* * *

"Would you quit that? You're going to catch a cold." Sanzo snapped. It was the next day and the blizzard had finally gone away. Fresh snow was on the ground and Meika just couldn't resist rolling in it, much to the annoyance of Sanzo. "I won't give you any medicine if you get sick."

Hakkai chuckled. "Now, Sanzo, don't make threats you know you can't keep."

Meika stopped rolling around in the snow when she saw the other children. She immediately rushed over and joined in their snowball fight. Hakkai smiled and watched her playing. "Sanzo, do you ever think it was a mistake to bring Meika with us?"

Sanzo took a drag from his cigarette. "Who do you suggest we should've left her with?" When Hakkai didn't answer, Sanzo went back to watching Meika play. It annoyed him a great deal less than Goku and Gojyo's arguing. "Hey, do any of those boys have golden eyes?"

Hakkai laughed. "Goodness no. I already checked that." He answered, remembering Meika wishing for a golden eyed prince.

"GoGo, save me!" Meika squealed when Yakumo joined in the snowball fight. She jumped up into Goku's awaiting arms.

Goku began running with Meika, ducking and dodging the snowballs being thrown at them. He stopped suddenly when he came to an oddly grouped cluster of boulders. He put Meika down and looked at them curiously. "What are they?"

"They're graves." Yakumo answered softly.

Meika ran her hand carefully over one of the smoothed boulders. She looked up at Yakumo. She could hear the sadness in his voice. "Who do the graves belong to."

"The children that have died since we've been up here." Yakumo said, kneeling beside Meika on the cold ground.

Meika tilted her head to the side. "Did they get sick?"

Yakumo shook his head and patted her head. "No. They were killed."

Goku gasped. "Who would do that? Was it the humans?"

All Yakumo did was give them a small smile before walking away. "We should get back to the cave before the blizzard gets here."

Meika looked up at the clear blue sky and frowned. "There's going to be another blizzard? It's so pretty today…"

The sun hadn't even set when the blizzard roared back in. The group was nestled comfortably in the warm cave. They had just finished their meal and Meika was snuggling happily against Gojyo's side.

One of the little girls suddenly ran up, tears in her eyes. "Yakumo, Ryo is gone! He's been acting weird ever since those humans came. He's been really creepy and scary…"

Yakumo abruptly stood up. He took his rifle that was leaning against the wall and headed for the entrance. "I'm going to go look for him."

Gojyo straightened up, still keeping Meika close to his side. "You can't go out there by yourself. Let us come…"

"All of you just stay here!" Yakumo snapped suddenly. He stormed out of the cave without another word.

Sanzo stood up. "Meika, you stay here with the children. The rest of you idiots, we're going after him."

Meika pouted. "Why can't I go with you?"

"Stay here." Was all Sanzo said before leading the rest of the group out after Yakumo.

Meika huffed and glared at the entrance. "ZoZo is always being mean like that."

The children all sat around the fire, none of them saying a word. They were all scared and confused. It was beginning to upset Meika. She wished Sanzo and the others would hurry up and come back. She scooted closer to the entrance of the cave so that she would know as soon as Sanzo and the others got back. She looked up at the sound of the cloth being moved aside. "Sanz—" All she saw was something glinting in the firelight coming down on her and then a searing pain in her side.

She could feel blood flowing out of her, just like when they had fought Kami-sama. She couldn't move. It hurt so much and she felt so weak. She could hear the screams of the other children as they were all cut down by the two humans. Soon the screaming stopped. Tears welled up in her eyes. If only she hadn't been so close to the entrance, she wouldn't have been taken by surprise. She would've been able to protect all the children.

One of the humans stood over, realizing they hadn't killed her. He would've finished her off were it not for Yakumo stepping into the cave with a dead Ryo in his arms. "Y-Yakumo…"

Meika had lost too much blood. She fell unconscious just as Yakumo ripped out the throat of the human closest to him.

* * *

"Meika, please wake up." Hakkai's voice called to her softly.

Reluctantly, Meika opened her eyes. She looked down and saw that Hakkai had just finished healing her wound. She sat up and realized for the first time that she was right outside the cave. "Where's ZoZo, JoJo, and GoGo? Where's Yakumo?"

Hakkai shook his head. "Yakumo went berserk, Meika. After we killed him, we went into the cave to find you. We thought you were dead at first."

"MeiMei!" Goku rushed over and scooped the little girl up off the ground. "Are you okay?"

Meika nodded slowly. She hugged Goku. "Where's Yakumo?"

"We buried him with all the other children." Sanzo answered, coming over with Gojyo.

Gojyo took Meika from Goku and nuzzled her cheek. "You scared me so bad, baby girl. Do you want to go see him and say goodbye?"

Meika thought for a moment. She shook her head. "No. He's probably busy playing with all the other kids. At least they can all be happy now."

Gojyo hugged Meika tightly. "That's right, baby girl. That's right."


	57. Doppelgangers

**Gahhh! I've been so bad about updating these past few months! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me for being a horrible author!**

**Sakura02: Don't worry, she'll say his real name…eventually.**

**Thanks: Sayuri Haruno, CBarbie92, AdaYuki, LilyT93, sakura2112, KaKashiisWifey, AngelaAngel, and Princess de la Luna for reviewing.**

**Over 600 reviews! You guys are so awesome! Thank you all for reading!**

* * *

Meika sat happily on the floor at Sanzo's feet, playing with her doll. Hakkai and the others had gone out for supplies a while ago and had left Sanzo the responsibility of watching Meika. She looked up at Sanzo. "I'm thirsty."

Sanzo rolled his eyes. Without looking away from the newspaper he was reading, Sanzo handed Meika his cup of hot tea. "Sip. Otherwise you'll burn your tongue."

"Okay." Meika did as Sanzo told her and handed him back the cup when she was done. She went back to playing with her doll. It had been surprisingly peaceful the past couple of days. Meika looked up to say something to Sanzo when the sound of a gunshot and shattering ceramic rang out through the room. Meika screamed as more shots rang out through the room, shattering everything on the table.

Sanzo rolled out of his chair and grabbed Meika. He pulled himself and Meika safely in between the two beds in the room. "Meika, be quiet!" He hissed at the wailing child.

Meika let out a small whimper, but stopped screaming. She held her doll tightly to her chest and snuggled tighter into Sanzo's side. "ZoZo, is it a youkai?"

Sanzo shook his head, but didn't say anything else. He hadn't sensed an enemy's presence at all. He looked up at the sound of the door opening and immediately pulled his gun out.

A woman nervously stepped into the room. "I heard the noise…"

"Get down, Lady!" Meika shouted. She instinctively curled closer into Sanzo's side when he held her under one arm.

Sanzo held Meika close to his side, and rushed towards the shocked woman. He grabbed the woman with his free arm and slammed her to the ground as another barrage of bullets rang through the air. The sound of water slamming into wall above them startled him. Their enemy wasn't just using a gun to fight. Sanzo pushed both Meika and the woman behind him and brought his gun up to fight the attacker.

Meika peered around Sanzo to see why he was hesitating. It took her a moment to process the two figures she was seeing standing in the room. "ZoZo…why are we over there?"

Two people that could've been Sanzo and Meika's twins were smirking wickedly over at them. Sanzo quickly grabbed Meika and the woman and escaped into the hallway. The woman looked up at Sanzo in shock. "Are those your twins?"

Sanzo was silent for a moment. "You…get out of the way." He kicked her into an empty room. "Meika, stay close to me."

Meika nodded as the two doppelgangers came out of the room. She immediately summoned a water dragon while Sanzo pointed his gun at the two. The two doppelgangers mirrored their moves. "Who are you guys?" Meika snapped.

The Meika look-a-like giggled. "I'm Meika and that's Genjo Sanzo. Who else would we be?"

"I'm Meika! Not you!" Meika shrieked indignantly.

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "Be quiet, Meika." The four remained at a complete standstill for a moment. Sanzo suddenly hoisted Meika up and flung them out a nearby window. He straightened up immediately and brought his gun up.

Meika hopped out of his arm and got right back into a fighting position. She had barely brought her hands up when her doppelganger attacked. Meika snarled and dodged the attack, sending her own water dragon after her doppelganger. She smirked in satisfaction as the girl was slammed into the wall of the inn. She looked over when she heard Goku's voice coming towards them. "Wow, GoGo and the others have twins too!"

"I knew that there'd be two Sanzos!" Goku cheered excitedly.

Gojyo pouted. "But…which one is the real one?"

"I'm busy!" Sanzo snapped at the three. "Don't interfere where you aren't wanted!"

Hakkai smiled happily. "That one. Are you okay, Meika?"

Meika nodded, eyeing the other doppelgangers nervously. "So, how're we going to beat these guys?"

Hakkai sighed thoughtfully. "I suppose we should all take care of our own doppelgangers. After all, I don't think any of us could beat our sweet little Meika, even if it isn't really her."

Sanzo shrugged, reloading his gun quickly. "I don't know about that. It'd be good to give the brat a proper spanking for once without any of you assholes complaining."

Meika puffed her cheeks out. "I don't need a spanking!"

Goku laughed. "I got an idea! Whoever doesn't die is the real one, and whoever does is the fake!"

"Sounds like a plan." Gojyo said, grinning widely.

"I wonder what the point of making these doppelgangers was." Hakkai said, sighing in annoyance at the whole situation.

Sanzo snarled and glared over at the side of the inn. "Why don't we ask him. I know you're back there, you pathetic excuse for a sentient being! You better get your ass out here right now!"

Meika was surprised when a youkai came around the corner. She hadn't even sensed his presence. "You're the creep that made these things?" She hissed.

The youkai laughed. "I hope you're all having fun. I made these shikigami just for the five of you."

"I hate shikigami!" Goku howled furiously. "MeiMei does too!"

The youkai ignored Goku. "It's taken me months, but I finally finished these guys yesterday. My copies are equal in every aspect to the originals!"

Gojyo rolled his eyes. "I seriously doubt that. Meika, show the nice man just how strong you really are."

Meika spun around to face her doppelganger. She brought her hand up and shot a blast of water right into the doppelganger's chest, easily destroying the creature. She grinned and turned back to the rest of the group to see that they had all easily defeated their own doppelgangers as well. She stuck her tongue out at the shocked youkai. "Your doppelgangers suck."

"How could they lose?" The youkai howled in shock. "I copied all your previous battle patterns perfectly! There's no way you should've been able to defeat them that easily!"

Gojyo picked Meika up and sneered down at the youkai. "You may have copied us perfectly up 'til now. Unfortunately for you, we aren't the same as we were yesterday."

Meika pouted at Gojyo. "That doesn't really make sense, JoJo."

"Think of it more like a type of attitude." Hakkai said with a smile on his face. "Now then, should we give this gentleman a taste of the real thing?"

After they'd dealt with the youkai, the group got back on the road. Meika sat in the back of Jeep with Goku and Gojyo, happily playing with her doll. "So, that was the youkai that's been watching us these past few months?"

Hakkai glanced over his shoulder in surprise. "You sensed someone watching us too, Meika?"

Meika nodded slowly. "Not all the time. Sometimes, I would. It's really creepy to think of someone watching us all the time."

Sanzo didn't say anything. For some reason, he didn't think that youkai was the one they had sensed watching him. He didn't want to worry Meika, so he kept his mouth shut about it. He could discuss it with Hakkai later.


	58. Seperated

**Sorry I've been gone so long everyone! Been going through a lot these past few months. On the plus side, I did finish the fourth draft of my novel! Two more drafts before I start sending it out to agents. So excited!**

**AdaYuki: Thank you!**

**Sakura02: Haha…I don't think I did…**

**LilyT93: hopefully this one is longer than the last :)**

**SaiyukiSucker: I'm going by the manga :) I will be adding in the episode with the kitty, though!**

* * *

Meika yawned and woke up. She had been having a pleasant nap until the sound of Sanzo threatening Gojyo and Goku pierced through her sub consciousness. She sat up and looked in the back at the terrified Goku and Gojyo. "You two need to stop bothering ZoZo."

"The child is more intelligent than the two of you." Sanzo grouched out.

Meika beamed proudly at the compliment she had just received from Sanzo. It was rare to get a compliment from him. She frowned and wiped sweat away that had begun beading on her forehead. "It's hot…"

Goku nodded in agreement. "Isn't there a river or something we can wash off in?"

Hakkai glanced down at the map thoughtfully. His eyes lit up and he patted Meika on the head. "We'll reach a river soon enough. Just be patient a little longer, Meika."

Sure enough, after a few more minutes, the group stopped in front of the largest river any of them had ever seen. Meika squealed excitedly and leapt out of Jeep. She managed to get to edge of the river before Sanzo reached out and yanked her back. She pouted up at Sanzo. "I wanna go swimming, ZoZo."

"Not now." Sanzo clipped out, looking around the area irritably. "There's no bridge."

Hakkai shook his head and continued staring at the map. "Not according to the map." He looked up in time to see Meika slip out of Sanzo's grip in an attempt to get to the river. With two quick strides, he caught her up and held her under his arm. "There should at least be a ferry around here…Meika, stop squirming."

Meika huffed, but obeyed. She could tell Sanzo was highly irritable right now, and she didn't want to give him a reason to be crankier than he already was. "I don't see a boat anywhere…"

"You can't cross." A boy a couple years older than Meika stood at the edge of the river, eyeing the group.

"Why not?" Meika asked curiously. She blinked when the boy abruptly spun around and ran off. "He's weird…"

Sanzo sighed in annoyance as Gojyo and Goku began arguing once again. He smacked them upside their heads with his fan. "Let's go to the village and find out what's going on. Meika, come on."

Meika ran forward to walk beside Sanzo. "What about GoGo and JoJo?"

"Hakkai can tie them to a rock and drown them." Sanzo clipped out.

Meika turned around to confirm that Hakkai was rousing Gojyo and Goku, not tying them to a rock. She followed Sanzo back over to where Jeep was patiently waiting. "How're we going to get to the other side, ZoZo?"

"If I have to buy a damn boat and paddle there myself, I will." Sanzo grit out.

Gojyo scoffed once he and the others caught up. "Yeah, right. You'll make someone else do your dirty work for you." He scooped Meika up and hugged her, ignoring the scowl Sanzo sent him.

On the ride to the village, Gojyo and Goku stayed relatively silent. Meika sat in the back in Gojyo's lap, braiding a piece of Gojyo's hair that was dangling in front of her. After a short drive, they reached the village. They found the local fisherman and immediately asked him for someone to take them across the river.

"I can't send out a boat." The man said shortly.

"Why not?" Goku asked, his voice bordering on a whine.

The man sighed. "Well, I'm sure you noticed there was no bridge going across the river. People used to come and go to the village on the opposite bank all the time by boat. About a year ago, youkai settled in the river. Sixteen boats were attacked, one after the other. Since then, no one's gone to the other side of the bank. It's inconvenient, but it beats getting killed."

"That's all well and fine, but we still need to get across to the other side." Gojyo said impatiently. He smoothed Meika's frazzled hair down. "We need to head west."

"If it's west you're heading towards, there's a suspension bridge in the mountains you can take. You'll have to cross five mountains to get to it. It usually takes two months." The man said.

"Two months is way too long!" Meika protested. "No wonder that boy said we can't get to the other side."

"You four met Kon?" The man asked. "Poor kid used to live on the other side of the river. His mom had sent him over here on an errand. When we couldn't send anymore boats out, he got stuck here. Poor kid…he's got his mom and little sister waiting for him across the river."

"Let's go back to the river, MeiMei." Goku said excitedly. He grabbed her hand and ran out of the store, before the others could say anything.

Meika laughed while they ran. "You're going to fast, GoGo!" The two slowed down once they reached the edge of the river where Kon was angrily throwing rocks at the water. Meika skipped over to stand beside the boy. "That water sure is fast…"

"Yeah." Goku agreed. "I'm a good swimmer, but I don't think even I can swim in that."

"I already told you; you can't get across." Kon grit out angrily. "They said they can't send out any boats because they might get attacked by youkai. No matter how many times I ask, they won't help me. I can't man a boat by myself and I can't cross the mountains either. I'm stuck here." He blinked and looked down when he felt Meika take his hand.

"That must be hard." Meika said quietly. "You can see your village, but you can't get to it."

Kon gave her a small smile and a half shrug. "Pretty much."

"Goku, Meika, it's boat time!" Gojyo shouted suddenly.

Meika squealed excitedly and squeezed Kon's hand. "You're going to come with us, right? Across the river?"

"Y-Yeah!" Kon answered.

The group went back to the village and to the man's store. Sanzo strolled in and told the man they wanted to buy a boat.

The man's eyes widened. "That river is a death trap! You can't possibly be serious!"

"We're willing to buy the boat." Sanzo clipped out. "That should be where your concerns end."

Meika grinned broadly up at the man, still holding Kon's hand. "It's okay. If the youkai attack us, we'll just beat them up real good! Won't we, GoGo?"

Goku nodded excitedly. "Yup! Then you guys can cross the river again!"

The man open and closed his mouth a few times, not sure how to respond. "You won't find any volunteers to steer the boat for you."

Hakkai nodded thoughtfully. "That is a bit of a problem…" The whole group turned to Gojyo in unison.

Gojyo looked at all of them in confusion. "…what?"

* * *

"I knew this was going to happen…" Gojyo grouched out. He'd gotten stuck with the job of steering the boat to the other side.

"Meika, don't lean too far over or you'll fall." Hakkai said with a smile.

Kon smiled over at Hakkai and Sanzo. "Don't worry, I won't let her fall in, sir." He said, squeezing his and Meika's linked hands for emphasis.

"Stop worrying, Sanzo." Hakkai said. "He doesn't have golden eyes either."

"We're going really fast!" Goku cheered excitedly.

Kon nodded, sitting down next to Meika. "The current is pretty slow here. My dad and I used to come fishing here all the time."

Meika peered over the side of the boat again curiously. "Um…does the water always do that?" She asked, pointing to the water that had suddenly begun swirling around their little boat.

"Don't let them knock you overboard!" Hakkai shouted.

Meika and Kon were both holding tightly to Goku. "We're trying…MeiMei!"

Meika screamed as a youkai jumped into the front of the boat. She lost her grip on Goku and flew into the water. Kon reached out to try and pull her back into the boat, but was only managed to get dragged in along with her. Goku jumped into the water and grabbed both children. Meika coughed up the water that'd gotten into her mouth. "Kon, GoGo, are you two okay?"

Goku nodded, fishing around in the water for something. The three of them were getting swept further and further away from the rest of the group with each passing moment. "This current is really strong…" He let out a cry of triumph and pulled his Nyoi-Bo out of the water. He quickly made it longer and used it to get a hold of the cliff wall beside them. "MeiMei, Kon, hold on tight."

"HaHa!" Meika wailed when she saw how far away they were from the others.

"It's okay, Meika!" Hakkai shouted. "We'll meet up with the three of you later. Goku, take care of Meika and Kon!"

"Okay!" Goku shouted back. He turned his attention to getting Meika and Kon to safely hold onto Nyoi-Bo. When he looked back over his shoulder, he was surprised to see that Sanzo, Hakkai, Gojyo, and the boat were no longer there. "Sanzo!"

Meika whipped her head up to see what had gotten Goku so upset. She let out another wail and began crying. "Where'd they go?"

"Hey, it's okay, MeiMei." Goku soothed. "They're okay. We'll meet up with them later, okay? Don't cry. We've gotta climb up this cliff right now, so you've gotta stop crying, MeiMei."

Meika sniffed and nodded. "Okay…" The three of them used Nyoi-Bo to climb up the face of the cliff. It took a good twenty minutes before they finally managed to reach the top, Hakuryuu letting out chirps of encouragement the whole way. Meika straightened up and wrung out the end of her dress. She blinked when Kon took her hand again.

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly.

"Yeah, just worried." Meika answered.

Goku grinned at the two. "Don't worry. Sanzo and the others are fine. We'll just hang out at Kon's house until they get here."

Kon smiled down at Meika. "You'll like my mom and sister. Come on." Kon led Goku and Meika towards his village. He talked excitedly to the two of them about his village and all the people that lived there. His excitement quickly wore off when they finally reached his village and saw it in complete ruin. "W-What happened?"

"Slow down, Kon!" Meika yelped, getting dragged along with him.

Kon threw the door open to one of the many destroyed houses. "Mom! Rin!" Nobody answered him. He began running frantically through the house. "Mom, I'm home! Rin!"

"Kon, it's okay!" Meika tried to calm the distraught boy. She looked over at Goku pleadingly for help.

"They must've been attacked by youkai!" Kon babbled. "Maybe everyone is dead."

"Kon, calm down." Goku snapped. "I know the town is all messed up. It probably was attacked by the youkai. I didn't see any bodies and there's barely any blood."

Meika smiled reassuringly at Kon and squeezed his hand. "They're probably hiding somewhere. We'll find them."

Kon was silent for a moment. His eyes suddenly lit up. "I bet I know where they are!" He began dragging Meika along with Goku and Hakuryuu following close behind them. After a few minutes, they had climbed a small hill. "This is where the village goes whenever we get flooded."

"Is there somewhere they could all be hiding?" Goku asked.

"What's wrong, Hakuryuu?" Meika asked when the little dragon began sniffing the air.

Hakuryuu led them over to a small cave in the side of the hill. Kon's eyes lit up. He ran over to the cave with Meika still in tow. "Is someone in there? It's me, Kon!"

At first, there was no answer. After a few moments, a man carrying a lantern appeared. "Kon, is that you?"

Kon finally released Meika's hand as all the villagers ran out of the back of the cave to greet him. Kon was most excited when his mother and little sister ran forward. He motioned over to where Goku and Meika were lingering at the mouth of the cave. "These guys saved me."

Kon's mother smiled through her tears. "Thank you. How can I ever repay you?"

Goku quickly shook his head and grinned. "It's nothing. Come on, Meika. We've got to find the others." He took Meika's hand and walked out of the cave with the rest of the villagers following behind them.

"Look what we found!" A group of youkai stood on top of the cave, leering wickedly down at the villagers.

The villagers all began screaming in fear. Meika clung tighter to Goku's hand. Goku didn't have to say anything to her for her to know what to do. As soon as the youkai began leaping down to attack the villagers, Meika and Goku began their own attack. Meika manipulated the ground beneath the youkai's feet and knocked them down. She could see Goku using his Nyoi-Bo to fight out of the corner of her eye. No matter how many of the youkai they knocked down, the rest kept coming.

"Kon, lead the villagers to the back of the cave. MeiMei, go with them." Goku ordered.

"I'm not letting you fight these guys by yourself!" Meika protested. "I'm staying with you!"

Goku waited until all the villagers had entered the cave before knocking rocks into the entrance of the cave. He smirked over at the youkai. "Now you can't get them. You ready, MeiMei."

Meika nodded. She already had a water dragon at the ready. Meika wasn't sure how long they continued to fight the youkai, but it felt like forever. No matter how many they took out, more youkai just kept coming. They were both getting more and more tired with each passing moment.

"MeiMei, you trust me, right?" Goku panted out. Meika had barely managed to nod before Goku scooped her up and leapt over the edge towards the water. Goku kept a firm grip on Meika and used his Nyoi-Bo to grab onto the side of the cliff. He kicked the rock wall that the youkai had all been standing on to see where the two of them had gone.

Once all the youkai had been knocked into the river below, Goku pulled himself and Meika back up to safety. "You okay, MeiMei?"

"Yes." Meika answered. "We need to get Kon and the others out."

Goku sighed irritably. "I'm so hungry…"

Meika was the first to turn around at the sound of a twig snapping. Her eyes lit up and she let out a squeal of delight. "Kou-sa—" Her joy at seeing the youkai prince was short lived.

Kougaiji completely ignored Meika. He charged straight at Goku and knocked him to the ground. Meika watched in complete shock for a few moments before she was able to move. "Stop it, Kou-san! You're really hurting him!"

"MeiMei, run!" Goku managed to yell out before Kougaiji threw him again.

"No!" Meika rushed forward and stood protectively in front of Goku. She glared angrily up at Kougaiji. "What's wrong with you?" She gasped as Kougaiji picked her up by her neck.

"Where's is Genjo Sanzo?" Kougaiji asked her calmly.

"I'm not telling." Meika grit out. She yelped when she was suddenly thrown into the rock wall behind her. Everything hurt. Her vision was tunneling. The last thing she heard was Goku yelling her name. Something was seriously wrong with Kougaiji today.


	59. Back On Track

**I got a Siamese kitten last weekend. Her name is Leeloo and she is the cutest kitten I think I've ever seen. I am evidently her designated sleep spot. **

**Sakura02: For some reason, the Saiyuki chapters always seem to be long…**

**Thanks: KaKashiisWifey, AdaYuki, Saiyuri Haruno, NeonPink2011, LilyT93, SaiyukiSucker, and Princesa de la Luna for reviewing!**

* * *

Meika shook herself awake in time to see Goku roughly knock Kougaiji away. She shakily stood up and shook her head. "Are you okay, GoGo?"

Goku nodded slowly, barely able to stand on his own two feet. He'd be damned if he was going to let Kougaiji beat him, though. He crouched down, ready to attack again when he saw Kougaiji pulling himself up. "MeiMei, I need you to stay back. I'm going to beat him."

Meika was going to protest. She was going to insist that Goku allow her to help him fight. Something in Goku's eyes made her pause. She'd never seen him look so determined before. "Be careful, GoGo. Something is really wrong with Kou-san."

"I noticed." Goku grumbled. He lunged forward and began fighting with Kougaiji. Meika could tell Goku was on the brink of collapsing. She didn't interfere, though. She let out a small cheer when Goku punched Kougaiji in the face and sent the youkai prince flying.

"You did it, GoGo!" Meika cheered. She blinked and looked to her right when she heard Yaone's shout of worry. She watched Yaone and Dokugakuji run past them and straight to fallen Kougaiji. She was so focused on them, that she didn't notice Sanzo and the others walk up until Goku collapsed beside her. "GoGo!"

Gojyo crouched down next to Meika and patted her head. "You stay with him, Meika. We'll deal with these assholes."

Meika nodded. She grinned up at Sanzo. "I'm glad you're all okay, ZoZo. Do you think you guys can make the real Kou-san come back?"

Sanzo gave an impatient shrug. "Who knows."

Despite Yaone and Dokugakuji's protest, Kougaiji pushed himself up on his broken arm. He stared blankly at Sanzo, no emotions behind his empty eyes. "Give me the Maten…"

"Bite me." Sanzo clipped out, already loading his gun.

Gojyo cracked his knuckles and grinned. "We're going to make you pay for killing the damn monkey."

"GoGo's dead?" Meika let out a shriek of alarm. She had thought that Goku was just sleeping. She began furiously shaking Goku's shoulders. "Wake up, GoGo! You can't be dead! Please don't die!"

"Now look what you've done!" Sanzo snarled out at Gojyo.

Hakkai turned to Meika and gave her a reassuring smile. "Goku isn't dead, Meika. Please calm down. Gojyo please shut up so you don't freak Meika out anymore." He blinked when Meika stood up.

"I'm gonna fight Kou-san too! That's not the kind and gentle Kou-san I know." Meika created a water whip and stood beside Gojyo.

Gojyo gave a mock sniffle. "My baby girl is so tough. I couldn't be more proud of her."

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Idiot."

The four of them charged at Kougaiji at the same time. Meika used her water whip to grab onto Kougaiji's wrist and send the youkai prince flying. The four of them dodged all of the fire and fog attacks Kougaiji sent at them. No matter how badly they injured him, the youkai prince continued to get up. "There's something really wrong with Kou-san." Meika muttered. "He's never just fought with fire and fog before."

Gojyo nodded his head, taking a moment to catch his breath. "Didn't he used to have that summoning thing?"

"Yes, he usually has a summoned creature that he uses." Hakkai answered. "A summoned creature has a contract with their master. If their master is changed somehow, perhaps the contract is not able to hold up."

"So, this guy can't summon right now." Gojyo lunged forward and grabbed the back of Kougaiji's head. He slammed the prince's face roughly into the ground. "That'll make things a whole lot easier."

Meika looked over at Dokugakuji and Yaone. Neither of the youkai had moved from their spots where Kougaiji had left them standing. "Are you guys okay with us beating up Kou-san?"

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "You're both just in the way. Either make up your minds or get out of the way. Your group is so annoying. You're always going on about how you're doing something for someone else. It doesn't matter what anyone else wants. What's important is what you want." Sanzo held his gun up. "Gojyo, move."

Meika coughed as a sudden smoke screen blocked their sight of Kougaiji. She couldn't help grinning when she saw the outlines of Yaone and Dokugakuji standing protectively in front of Kougaiji. "I knew you guys wouldn't let ZoZo kill Kou-san."

"Do you keep forgetting these guys are our enemies?" Sanzo grit out in annoyance, though the chastisement was halfhearted.

Dokugakuji grinned at the Sanzo group. "Sorry, but we're going to protect him no matter what."

Gojyo sighed. "Wow. Their boss sure is popular. Too bad we don't share that in common."

Sanzo snarled. "Nobody asked you."

Dokugakuji and Yaone charged forward. Dokugakuji immediately began fighting with Gojyo. "Three against three and half aren't such bad odds."

Meika puffed her cheeks out. "Why do I always get called a half? I'm super strong too!"

Hakkai chuckled. "Yes you are, Meika. Besides, I think our sides numbers have just increased."

Goku lunged forward at that moment, a wide grin on his face despite the blood trickling from his head. "Let's do this!"

Yaone gave an apologetic bow to Hakkai. "It seems I will be your opponent again, Hakkai-san." She giggled when Meika let out a huff of annoyance. "And you too, Meika-chan."

Meika grinned at finally being acknowledged. The three of them were so focused on their fighting, they didn't really notice much of what was going on around them. Hakkai couldn't help the proud smile on his face as he watched Meika controlling her magic. She had certainly improved over the course of their journey.

The sound of a body hitting the ground brought them all to a stop. Meika let out a small gasp. "Kou-san!"

Dokugakuji stood there, completely dumbfounded. "He…he jumped n front of me…" He knelt down and held Kougaiji in his arms. "Why would you do something like that?" Dokugakuji sat there for a few moments before suddenly standing up. He let out a howl of fury and charged at the Sanzo group.

While the group was dodging Dokugakuji's attacks, Meika could hear Kougaiji muttering strange words that sounded vaguely familiar. "Um…ZoZo…"

Sanzo's eyes widened when he realized what was happening. "Move! It's a trap!"

"Where the hell are we supposed to go?" Gojyo snapped. "We're backed up to a cliff!" They're eyes widened when Kougaiji's shikigami hovered above them. "Crap…"

Meika screamed as the creature slammed straight into the ground in front of them. The ground beneath them broke off from the cliff. She could feel herself falling towards the water below. Idly, she thought of how tired she was of them always falling off of cliffs. She waited to feel ice cold water around her. Instead, she felt a hand roughly grab the collar of her dress and hoist her back up to safety. Hesitantly, she opened her red eyes. She was greeted with the sight of warm violet eyes staring right back at her. "Kou-san, you're back!"

Kougaiji gave Meika a small smile and gently sat her on feet on the ground. He knelt down and dusted her dress off. "It seems I owe your group again, Meika." He kissed her forehead before straightening up and looking down at the furious group in the water below. "That's quite enough for today. The next time we meet, the sutra will be mine."

"You're leaving already?" Meika asked, disappointment clear in her voice.

"I've got some things I need to take care of." Kougaiji said. He ruffled Meika's hair and gave her another smile. "We'll see you again soon. Be a good girl."

Yaone smiled and gave Meika a quick hug before following after her lord. "Bye, Meika-chan. Please continue taking care of Hakkai-san and the others."

Dokugakuji grinned at Meika and waved goodbye to her. "Make sure my idiot brother stays out of trouble."

Meika continued grinning and waved goodbye to the three. "Bye! Tell Lirin-chan I said hi!" She looked up at the sound of the group pulling themselves up and over the lip of the cliff. "I'm glad Kou-san is back again!"

"Why do you always blush every time we deal with him?" Gojyo wailed in despair.

Sanzo and Hakkai stood side by side, observing the way Meika's face turned an even brighter red. "Should we kill him?" Sanzo asked.

Hakkai thought for a moment. "No. She said she wanted a golden eyed prince. Unless Kougaiji decides to change his eye color, I don't think we'll have to worry about him in the long run."

* * *

"JoJo, you sneeze funny." Meika giggled out. She was in the back of Jeep with Gojyo and Goku. After they'd dug the villagers out of the cave, they'd left for the next town. Gojyo and Sanzo had nearly murdered poor Kon when he gave Meika a kiss on the cheek to say goodbye. Meika sighed and looked up at the sky. "I hope Kou-san is okay now."

Gojyo grinned and ruffled her hair. "I'm sure he's fine now. He was probably just having some bad dreams."

Meika didn't bother pointing out that that made no sense. She closed her eyes against the bright sunlight. Images of the golden eyed boy flashed through her mind. She opened her eyes and stared up at the sky. _Nataku_. Homura had said the boy's name was Nataku. She wished she could remember why that name made her stomach twist and her heart skip a few beats.


	60. Rival

**Sakura02: Lol, kind of like when I read Red Hood and The Outlaws, I hear Jensen Ackles voice whenever Jason talks.  
gohagosa100: Meika loves pretty much all those people, but each in a different way. She loves Sanzo like a child loves their father. She respects and adores him, and wants to make him proud more than anything. She has a huge crush on Kougaiji, because…well…it's Kougaiji, and who doesn't love him? As for Goku, maybe 500 years ago when they were living in Heaven, her love for him may have been more of a crush, but in this time, he's like her big brother who she absolutely loves. I would say Nataku is probably closest to the love you're talking about. You'll see more of that when we get to the Gaiden portion of Saiyuki  
Anonymous: I'll have to see about the Yu Yu Hakusho story. I've got quite a few other stories planned out.**

**Thanks: LilyT93, Saiyuri Haruno, AdaYuki, Anonymous, Iheartlife888, Princesa de la Luna, Kinya, and HiddenXEmotion for reviewing!**

* * *

"This is so boring." Meika grouched, pouting from the back of Jeep. Once again, the group had been stopped by a group of Gyumaoh's assassins. She had been taking a nap when the youkai had stopped them, and she was too tired to be bothered to get out.

Goku grinned over at Meika once they'd finished off the last of the youkai. "Finally! I'm so hungry!"

Meika hopped out of Jeep and rushed over to Hakkai. She grabbed his hand. "Hey, HaHa, do you think the town will have chocolate milk?"

Hakkai chuckled and patted Meika's head. "I'm sure they will." The sound of a bush rustling nearby caused Hakkai to instinctively push Meika behind him. The entire group was tensed, ready for another attack against them.

Meika peered curiously around Hakkai, trying to see exactly what it was. She let out a squeal when she saw what is was that came out of the bush. "Kitty!"

"Oh, hell no." Sanzo hissed, watching wearily as Meika rushed over and scooped up the kitten. He knew exactly what that pouting face of hers meant. "We are not taking the cat with us!"

Goku ran over to Meika's side and knelt beside her. He scratched the kitten behind its ears and pouted up at Sanzo. "She's so cute!"

"She must be a stray." Hakkai said.

Meika blinked as the kitten was plucked from her hands. She looked up at Gojyo and was surprised to see him cuddling the kitten. She pouted and pulled on Gojyo's arm. "Hey, JoJo, I was holding her."

Gojyo shrugged Meika's hand off. "Hold on, Meika. I'll give her back in just a minute."

Meika was going to protest when Gojyo continued loving on the kitten, but the sound of Sanzo sneezing stopped her. She looked curiously over at him. "What's wrong, ZoZo? Are you catching a cold?"

Sanzo shook his head, letting out one last sneeze. He kept his nose and mouth covered. "Let's go."

Goku pouted. "What about the kitten?"

Gojyo sighed sadly, handing the kitten over to Goku instead of Meika. "I guess we'll just have to leave her here."

Sanzo began sneezing violently again. "I hate cats. Every time I see them and their mangy fur, I can't stop sneezing." He glared furiously over at Gojyo when he started laughing. "We are not taking the damn thing with us. We've already got the damn brat to take care, we aren't taking the cat."

Meika was about to protest, when the cat suddenly jumped out of Goku's arms. They all watched as the kitten ran up to Sanzo and began rubbing against his leg. Meika giggled. "She likes you, ZoZo!"

Gojyo picked Meika up and grinned. "How is it that an asshole like you manages to attract the cutest things?"

Sanzo backed quickly away from the kitten. "Get this thing the hell away from me!"

* * *

Meika sat beside Sanzo at the table, while the other three crowded around the kitten on the floor. Meika had hardly gotten to play with the little kitten since Hakkai, Gojyo, and Goku wouldn't stop holding the kitten and cooing over her. Meika frowned at the little kitten. Gojyo and the others hadn't cooed over Meika like that in a long time.

Sanzo looked down at Meika. He was tired of watching the morons running around and arguing about what to name the cat, or if the room was too drafty. "Why aren't you running around with the morons?"

Meika gave a half-hearted shrug. "It's just a kitten. It's not that big of a deal."

Sanzo raised an eyebrow. He would've thought Meika of the entire group would've been the most excited about the kitten. He shrugged it off. "Finally, something you and I agree on."

"Hey, guys…" Meika called, finally getting Gojyo, Hakkai, and Goku's attention.

Gojyo blinked and then smiled. "You're still up, Meika? You should go to your room and go to bed. Speaking of…whose room is the kitten going to sleep in?"

Meika pouted. "JoJo, can I sleep in your room tonight?"

"No, not tonight." Gojyo said, not taking his eyes off of the kitten. "You've got your own room…I think the kitten should sleep with me!"

"Would all of you get out of my room!" Sanzo yelled furiously.

Meika eventually gave up on trying to get anyone's attention. She stormed off to her room without saying goodnight to anyone, not that any of the others seemed to notice. She laid down on her bed, but was unable to sleep. She could hear the others moving around, and Sanzo yelling at the others to keep the kitten out of his room.

Meika had just been about to doze off when she heard scratching at her door. Quietly, she crawled out of her bed and went to open her door. She was rather surprised to find the kitten standing outside her door. She knelt down and rubbed the kitten behind her ears. "Did you sneak out again?" She gave a small smile when the kitten mewled at her. "Hey, listen, you can't steal my family. I had them first."

The kitten cocked her head to the side and meowed. She rubbed her head against Meika's hand.

Meika looked out the window and saw that the sun had already begun rising. She scooped the kitten up in her arms. "Come on. Let's go wake ZoZo up."

Sanzo began sneezing violently in his sleep. He could just hear a small voice calling out to him. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes only to find Meika standing beside his bed with the kitten in her arms. "You've got to be kidding me."

Eventually, the others woke up. They found the kitten in Sanzo's room with Meika. "I suppose we should go pick up some supplies." Hakkai said. "Sanzo, will you and Meika take care of the kitten while we're gone?"

Sanzo rolled his eyes and sipped at his tea. "Yeah, sure…"

"Can I go with you guys?" Meika asked hopefully.

"No, you need to stay here." Goku said. "We're trusting you with the really important task of taking care of Sanzo and the kitten!"

Meika pouted and crossed her arms. She didn't want to stay with Sanzo and the kitten. She wanted to go shopping with the others. They usually always let her go with them. She glared over at the kitten as the others left. She couldn't help smiling when the kitten came over and rubbed against her leg.

Sanzo looked up from his newspaper at the sound of Meika giggling. He watched the little girl playing on the floor with the kitten for a few minutes. He went back to reading his newspaper when Meika looked up at him.

"ZoZo, do you think the kitten is cuter than me?" Meika asked suddenly.

Sanzo coughed up the tea he had been just about to swallow. He looked over at Meika. Her red eyes were wide as she looked up at him, her face set in a pout. She was holding the kitten in her arms. "I'm not answering a stupid question like that."

"That means you like the kitten more." Meika pouted, putting the kitten down and glaring at her. "You all love this kitten more than you love me."

"I am not dealing with your jealousy issues towards a cat." Sanzo grit out. He sighed when the kitten began meowing again. Reluctantly, he got up and went to the kitchen to heat up some milk for the kitten.

Meika held the kitten up in the air. "I think they're replacing me with you."

The kitten let out a meow and wriggled out of Meika's arms.

Meika pouted and watched the kitten walk into the kitchen where Sanzo was. Meika sighed and laid down on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. She really did like the kitten, but she didn't like how she was taking up all of Sanzo and the others time. She shot up suddenly when she heard a loud clatter from the kitchen. She ran in only to find Sanzo holding the kitten and the pot of hot milk. "Is she okay?"

Sanzo nodded, allowing the kitten to leap from his arms and into Meika's. He smirked when Meika and the kitten yawned at the same time. "Aren't you a little too old for a nap?"

Meika puffed her cheeks out indignantly. "I'm only five!"

"Whatever." Sanzo didn't bother pointing out to Meika that it was almost the little girl's birthday. He ushered her back into the main room and allowed her and the kitten to lay on his bed. After a few minutes, both the kitten and Meika were sound asleep. He laid down beside them and alternated between petting the kitten and smoothing Meika's hair down. He couldn't help noticing just how much Meika and the kitten looked alike when they were sleeping.

Meika was jolted awake by the sound of glass breaking. She yelped as she was roughly shoved to the floor with the kitten in her arms. She quickly stood up and looked over to the window where three youkai were standing. Sanzo had shoved her and the kitten off the bed before rolling away from them. "ZoZo, look out!" Meika shouted.

Sanzo was frozen in place as a knife zipped towards his face. It took him a moment to realize that the sound of the knife hitting flesh was not his own, but the kitten that had leapt in front of him.

"Kitty!" Meika screamed. She rushed over to the kitten's side, not sure what to do when she saw all the blood leaking out. She looked up at Sanzo with teary eyes. "ZoZo…"

Sanzo grit his teeth, his gun already out. "You're going to pay for that!" With three rapid fire shots, the youkai were all dead. He looked back over at Meika, the little girl gently stroking the kitten's fur.

"Sanzo, what happened? We heard gunshots!" Hakkai was the first of the group to burst through the door. He knelt down beside Meika and gently placed a hand on the kitten's side. "She's still breathing!"

The group quickly rushed to the animal hospital. It wasn't long before the doctor had fixed the kitten up. "This is why I said she'd get in the way if we took her." Sanzo snapped irritably.

Meika smiled and held the basket with the kitten inside. "I'm sorry. I won' t ever be jealous of you again. I'm glad the knife didn't hit anything vital."

"MeiMei!" A young boy's voice shouted.

Meika looked up instinctively at the sound of her nickname. She and the others were rather surprised when the kitten leapt out of the basket and rushed towards the little boy. "Oh, so that's her real name."

The boy grinned at the group. He picked up the kitten and ran over to them. "Were you the ones that took care of my MeiMei? Thank you all so much."

Goku grinned and gently patted the kittens head. "You better not wander off anymore."

Meika looked up when Sanzo began walking away. "ZoZo?"

"Let's go." Sanzo said coolly. He paused when he heard the kitten meow. He gave a small smile that none of the other group saw. He looked down when he felt tiny hands holding his, his violet eyes meeting Meika's red ones. He continued walking with Meika still holding his hand.

Goku and the others rushed to catch up. Goku ruffled Meika's hair and grinned. "It's probably best that the kitten didn't come with us. We've already got one MeiMei."

"That's one too many." Sanzo said, smirking at the indignant yelp Meika made.

"Hey, what'd you guys buy in town?" Meika asked curiously, trying to peer into one of the bags Hakkai was carrying. "I'm hungry."

Hakkai held them up higher. "No ma'am. There's no food in here. You can't look in here or it'll spoil the surprise."

Meika blinked curiously. She switched from holding Sanzo's hand to latching onto Goku's arm. She giggled as the teenager lifted his arm up and down, making Meika's feet dangle off the ground. "Surprise?"

Gojyo grinned. "Don't tell me you forgot it's almost your birthday?"

"Really?" Meika squealed excitedly. She really had completely forgotten. She hugged Goku's arm tighter. "Can I have a kitty for my birthday?"

"No!" Sanzo shouted.


	61. Happy Birthday

**Sorry it's been a while. School started back up, blah blah…Please enjoy!**

**Beryl Bloodstone: Hmmm, interesting idea. I'll definitely think about it!  
Sakura02: Lol, but then Sanzo would've realized how expensive the kitty would be and he'd get all pissy again.**

**Thanks: Saiyuri Haruno, LilyT93, CBarbie92, gohagosa100, AdaYuki, SaiyukiSucker, and HiddenXEmotion, KaKashiisWifey, and rinpup14 for reviewing!**

* * *

Meika woke up and looked around excitedly. Today was her birthday. She knew that Hakkai and the others had bought her presents. She ran into the hallway and threw open Hakkai's door first. She jumped onto the bed, earning a loud grunt as her response.

Hakkai sat up and smiled at the excited child. He adjusted Meika in his lap and smoothed down her messy hair. "Good morning, Meika. Is there something you need?"

Meika pouted up at him. "It's my birthday…"

"Is it?" Hakkai teased. "I hadn't realized." He chuckled as Meika's pout became even more prominent. "I'm just teasing you, Meika. Of course I know it's your birthday. Now, go wake the others up, and I'll see about getting us some breakfast."

"Then presents?" Meika asked excitedly. She'd seen Hakkai with a number of bags. If it hadn't been for Gojyo distracting her, she would've known exactly where her presents were hidden.

"Then presents." Hakkai promised. He smiled to himself as he watched Meika scamper out of the room. A few minutes later, he heard Gojyo's yelp of shock at being rudely awakened. He got out of bed and stretched. "She certainly keeps things interesting…"

"Meika, it's too early…" Gojyo groaned, flopping back onto his bed. He did his best to ignore the child impatiently tugging on his hair. "Five more minutes…"

"No! It's my birthday! You have to wake up!" Meika whined, jumping up and down on Gojyo's stomach to get him to wake up. "JoJo!"

"Okay, I'm up!" Gojyo sat up and picked Meika up. He nuzzled his nose against Meika's. "Happy Birthday, Baby Girl."

Meika grinned and kissed Gojyo's forehead. "I'm not a baby anymore, JoJo. I'm turning six years old!"

Gojyo gasped dramatically. "No! Not my sweet little baby. I still remember when I had to change your diapers."

"You never changed a diaper." Sanzo clipped out from the doorway. "You threw her at me." Sanzo braced himself as Meika rushed over and hugged him around his legs. "Breakfast time." He turned and walked out of the room with Meika still attached to his leg.

"MeiMei, come sit by me!" Goku shouted, patting the seat next to him. Hakkai had ordered a large spread of food to be delivered to the room. Goku grinned once Meika had sat down next to him. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Happy Birthday, MeiMei."

Hakkai sat down a full plate of food in front of Meika. "Now, you need to eat your breakfast before you can have your presents, Meika."

"Okay." Meika said, already shoveling food into her mouth.

Sanzo whapped Goku in the head with his paper fan. "She's learning bad table manners from you!"

Goku whined and rubbed the back of his head. "That hurt!"

"Now, Goku," Hakkai said, trying to placate the situation. "Meika looks up to you like you're her big brother. You have to set a good example for her."

Goku sighed. "Okay."

Meika giggled, and continued to eat her food. She did her best to slow down, but she was too excited to see what her presents were. Once everyone had finished eating, Meika began hopping up and down excitedly. "Presents! Presents!"

"I'll get them!" Goku said, running off to retrieve the presents from their hiding place.

Hakkai sat down next to Meika on the floor. "Now, we couldn't get you as many toys this year. It'd be difficult to carry them on this journey."

Meika grinned at Hakkai. "That's okay. I've got my doll that JoJo bought me. I don't really need any toys." She blinked as Gojyo was suddenly hugging her tightly.

"My sweet little baby is so selfless! Where'd you learn to be like that?" Gojyo cooed.

"It wasn't from any of you." Sanzo grouched, lighting up one of his cigarettes.

Goku ran into the room, his arms full of wrapped presents. He dropped them in front of Meika. "Open them!" He cheered, sitting behind Meika and holding her in his arms.

Meika tore through her presents. Most of the boxes were full of new dresses and shoes. They were very pretty and bright colors. They were much prettier than what Sanzo would usually buy for her. Though most of her new shoes were traveling boots, there a few pairs of soft slippers as well. There were even a few new dresses for her doll in the presents. Meika grinned at her family. "Thank you! I love everything!"

Hakkai smiled and kissed Meika's head. "What do you want to do today? It's your day, so we'll do whatever you want."

Sanzo cringed, imagining how much money he'd have to spend today. He braced himself while Meika thought about what she wanted to do.

Meika hummed for a moment, thinking of the best way to spend her day. She smiled over at the cringing Sanzo. "Can we play mahjong, ZoZo? I wanna learn how to play like you guys. It's boring just watching all the time."

Hakkai chuckled. "I suppose we could arrange that."

For the rest of the day, the group sat at the mahjong table that Hakkai had asked the proprietor to bring up for them. She sat in Hakkai's lap, listening closely as he told her exactly what to do, and what all the tiles meant. She cheered excitedly when she and Hakkai won hand after hand.

Eventually, the group stopped to eat dinner. Meika was pleased when she didn't see a single vegetable on her plate. By the time they were all done eating, Meika was rather sleepy. She slipped into one of her new nightgowns and kissed Sanzo and the others good night.

Hakkai took her to her room and tucked her into bed. He kissed her forehead and smiled. "Did you have a good birthday?"

Meika nodded sleepily. "Yes. Are we almost to India?" She yawned out.

"Almost." Hakkai promised. He smoothed her hair down. "Good night, Meika."

"Good night, HaHa." Meika mumbled before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Meika blinked, finding herself standing in a very pretty green field. She was wearing a pretty white dress with soft white slippers. She looked around in confusion. She didn't see Kanan or Gojyo's mother anywhere. The boy with the golden eyes was also nowhere in sight. She let out a small yelp as something connected with her head. She looked down at the ground and was surprised to see a simple orange paper airplane. She picked it up curiously.

"Ah, thank you for getting that for me." A man with pale blonde hair approached Meika. He was smiling gently at the little girl.

"Are you a Sanzo priest?" Meika asked curiously when she noticed his robes. She held the paper airplane up to the man.

The man smiled and nodded. "Yes. My name is Koumyo Sanzo. Are you perhaps Meika?"

Meika nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. How'd you know? Are you dead? I meet lots of dead people when I'm asleep, so I think you're dead. Did you know my ZoZo? He's really cranky and angry, but he's got really pretty eyes. Why did you make that paper airplane?"

Koumyo laughed. "My goodness, you are an inquisitive little thing. Why don't we sit down and I'll answer all your questions."

Meika hesitated when he held his hand out to her. "ZoZo says I'm not supposed to go with strangers." She stared at the man's never wavering smile and how he continued to patiently hold his hand out to her. He didn't seem very threatening to her. After another moment, she put her hand in his and allowed him to lead her a little ways off to a small tree. She sat beside him and looked up at him curiously.

"Now, to remember all of your questions…" Koumyo said quietly. "Yes, I am dead. I did know your Sanzo. I was his teacher before I died."

"Oh! You're the one that I'm not supposed to talk about!" Meika exclaimed. She smiled sheepishly when Koumyo looked down at her. "HaHa told me about you. ZoZo gets really sad when people talk about you. I think he misses you a lot. He's not as nice as you are, though."

Koumyo laughed loudly. "No, I don't suppose he would be. So, he's still upset about that night."

Meika tilted her head to the side. "What happened that night. No one will tell me. I know it makes Sanzo sad. Especially when it rains."

Koumyo smiled sadly. "I see. Meika, there's something very important I need to ask you to do. It's a very important mission, and only you can do it."

"What is it?" Meika asked eagerly, leaning closer to Koumyo.

Koumyo put a hand gently on Meika's head. "Take care of him for me. Keep loving him just like you always have, and be patient with him. Do you think you can do that for me?"

Meika smiled up at Koumyo. "Of course! That's the easiest mission in the whole world!"

"I'm glad you think so." Koumyo said. He noticed how Meika was eyeing the paper airplane. He smiled down at her. "Would you like me to teach you how to make it?"

"Would you?" Meika gasped excitedly.

Meika woke up with a smile on her face. She had like Koumyo, and she hoped she could speak with him again soon. She looked out the window and saw that it was still dark outside. She quietly tiptoed out of her room and over to Sanzo's. She stood by his bedside for a moment. "ZoZo?"

Sanzo groaned and reluctantly opened his eyes. "If you had a nightmare, go talk to Hakkai about it…"

Meika huffed. "I didn't have a nightmare."

Sanzo sighed when Meika continued to stubbornly stand by his bed. "What do you want then?"

"Can I stay with you tonight?" Meika asked, already climbing into the bed beside Sanzo.

Sanzo frowned when she snuggled against him. "Aren't you getting too old for this?"

"It's still my birthday." Meika said. "So, you still have to let me do whatever I want." She leaned up and kissed Sanzo's cheek. "Good night, ZoZo."

Sanzo rolled his eyes while Meika drifted back to sleep. He should pick her up and march her straight back to her bed. He flopped back down on his bed with Meika still snuggled against his side. "Good night, brat. Happy Birthday."


	62. Friend or Foe

**Sakura02: Lol, I was thinking of having her drop the nicknames pretty soon. We'll just have to wait and see, though :P. **

**Thanks: LilyT93, Beryl Bloodstone, gohagosa100, AdaYuki, Lady Miel Cacao, KaKashiisWifey, AngelaAngel, and GodIsReal93 for your reviews!**

* * *

"I'm bored!" Meika whined, kicking the back of Sanzo's seat impatiently. They'd been on the road for days with nothing to see or do.

Sanzo snarled in annoyance. "Kick my seat again, and see what happens."

Hakkai laughed, knowing the threat was an empty one. "Don't worry, Meika. We should be reaching another village soon. In fact, I think we'll be able to see it just over…" He sighed when three men suddenly leapt out from the trees.

Gojyo cheered excitedly. "Yes! It's been days since we got to stretch our legs!"

Sanzo quirked an eyebrow when Meika remained in her seat while the rest of the group hopped out of the car. "You aren't going to go fight?"

Meika shook her head and grinned. "Nah. Gojyo and Goku seem really excited to get to fight. They haven't gotten to in a while."

Sanzo was about to ask Meika what had happened to all their nicknames. He stopped when he took a good look at the three men that Gojyo and Goku were about to take out. "What the hell? Those aren't youkai."

Meika's eyes widened. "They're humans! Gojyo, Goku, don't kill them!"

The three men stared at them blankly. _"Kill…Kill the youkai…"_

Sanzo lit a cigarette. "Well, I guess they're just after you four."

Meika flinched as Goku and Gojyo fought against the humans. "They seem really strong for humans…" she sniffed the air thoughtfully. "They smell funny."

Goku nodded holding one of the humans back. "They smell like that Chin Yisou guy. They don't smell alive at all."

"Get down, Goku!" Sanzo pulled his gun out and shot the man right between the eyes. He watched with mild interest as the man crumbled to dust. He didn't even bother going after the rest of the group that ran off.

Meika hopped out of the car and went over to what was left of the man; a pile of clothes. She looked up at Goku curiously. "Are they shikigami or something?"

Hakkai and Sanzo exchanged worried looks. Hakkai rested a hand on Meika's head. "I don't think it matters one way or another about that. What bothers me, is what they were saying."

Sanzo said nothing for a moment, just staring at the clothing. He spun on his heels and went straight back to Jeep. "Let's go. A storm's coming."

The rest of the ride to the village was relatively silent while everyone processed what had just happened. Eventually, Goku got over the shock and began whining about how hungry he was. They finally made it to the village. Goku hopped out and helped Meika out of the backseat. "MeiMei, let's go find food before we go to the inn!"

Meika glanced over her shoulder to make sure that Sanzo and the others were following behind them. She quickly followed after Goku through the busy streets. It had been quite a while since they'd been to such a large village. She looked up at the sky and blinked when she saw a hat flying towards them. "Goku…"

Goku jumped up and caught the hat easily. He turned around and grinned at the two men standing behind him and Meika. "Here! This is your hat, right?"

Meika stared at the two men curiously. One of them was a particularly tall man, taller than anybody Meika had ever seen. The other was much shorter and lithe. He almost looked like a girl to Meika.

The shorter man smiled and gratefully took his hat back. "Much obliged young'un."

"You talk funny." Meika blurted out.

The man chuckled and patted her head. He turned around and walked off with his companion without saying a word.

Goku yelped as he was viciously whapped upside the head by Sanzo's fan. "What was that for, Sanzo? MeiMei and I were just looking for food!"

"I told you not to wander off!" Sanzo grouched out. He lightly tapped Meika's head with the fan. "You know better!" He snarled as rain suddenly began falling from the sky.

Hakkai sighed and quickly pulled a cloak over Meika's head. "We better find some shelter."

They found an inn easily enough. By the time they got in, they were all soaked to the bone. Meika sat on the bed beside Sanzo, flinching every time there was a bright bolt of lightning and loud clap of thunder. She buried her face in Sanzo's side when there was a particularly loud thunder clap.

Sanzo rolled his eyes, but didn't push her away. "It's just thunder. Calm down."

Meika pouted up at him. "Hey, Sanzo, those guys that attacked us…their eyes were yellow…"

Sanzo was about to answer, when the sound of Gojyo and Goku arguing pierced his ears. He snarled as their name calling became more and more asinine. "Shut up and go to bed!" He yelled, pointing his gun at the two.

"We're going!" Gojyo and Goku both shouted in unison.

Hakkai chuckled and tucked Meika into bed. He kissed her forehead and smoothed her hair down. "Good night, Meika. Have sweet dreams now."

"Night, Hakkai." Meika murmured.

Hakkai smiled sadly. "No more nicknames?"

"I'm a grown lady now." Meika said before she dropped off to sleep.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep when she was rudely awakened. She flailed out instinctively, catching her attacker right in the face. She sat up only to find that it was Gojyo she had hit. "What's going on, Gojyo?"

Gojyo rubbed his nose. "Time to wake up. We've got company coming." He scooped Meika up out of her bed and went over to where the others were.

Meika remained silent as youkai broke into the room and stabbed the beds where they had once been sleeping. "That was really rude. Can't they just leave us alone for one night."

The youkai looked up, surprised to see that the Sanzo group was alive and well. Sanzo loaded his gun. "Let's get this over with."

The group easily dealt with the youkai. Meika looked up when she heard the sounds of screaming coming through the broken window. She peered out and was shocked to see just how many youkai there were outside chasing the poor villagers around. "We've got to do something!"

Goku leapt out to try and stop the youkai. He charged forward to attack, but was stopped by a man stepping in front of him and dealing with the youkai himself. Goku blinked as Meika landed beside him. "Hey, you're that guy from earlier today!"

The man smiled. "Evenin' debutantes."

Meika blinked. "What's a debutante? You still talk funny."

"Who the hell are you?" The youkai shouted furiously.

The man scoffed, pulling his hat down lower. "As if I would bother introducing myself to scum like you. Y'all have some of the worst manners, making a ruckus at night like this."

Meika's eyes widened as the large man appeared, two guns drawn. She watched him easily dispatch the youkai. Goku's eyes sparkled with excitement. "He's so cool! He took them all about by himself!"

Gojyo rolled his eyes. "What're you? His fanboy?"

The smaller man smiled. "That's quite a catch, Gat. We shouldn't waste it now."

Sanzo raised an eyebrow as something seemed to be coming out of the youkai and into the smaller man's pendant. Instinctively, he moved in front of Meika. He was glad he did when Gat crushed the remaining youkai's head with his bare hand.

Meika was silent for a brief moment, trying to process everything that had just happened. She was brought out of her stupor by the sounds of the injured crying out. "We've got to help them!"

"Meika, help Gojyo bring me the wounded." Hakkai ordered.

Meika obeyed. The sound of a young woman crying over her father's dead body brought Meika up short. She went over to Sanzo and clung to his robe. "Can we help him?"

"No." Sanzo said shortly. "It's too late for him."

The strange man knelt beside the girl and smiled. "Dry your eyes now, little miss." He pulled something out of his pendant and gently touched the man's forehead.

Meika watched in shock as the man suddenly came back to life. "Did he really just bring that guy back to life?"

The man smiled over at the shocked Sanzo group. "You sir, with the spectacles; if you're a healer, kindly take care of the wounded. Leave the dead to little ol' me."

xXx

"Poor Hakkai." Meika gently placed a cool washcloth over Hakkai's forehead. "You shouldn't have healed all those people while you were soaking wet. It's no wonder you passed out."

"Of course." Hakkai smiled gently. "I'm sorry, Mother. Those people were entrusted to me, though."

Gojyo rolled his eyes. "So, it's an ego thing."

Goku grinned, hugging Meika to him. "I'm just glad those dead people got to come back to life!"

Meika frowned thoughtfully. "How was he able to do that anyways?" She looked up when there was a knock at the door.

"Apologies for the intrusion." The strange man stepped into the room with Gat close behind him. He smiled brightly at the group. "That was some fine work gentlemen…and lady." He inclined his head politely to Meika. "It seems I've caused you to overstrain yourself. That was rather perverse of me."

"What's perverse mean?" Meika asked curiously, looking to Gojyo for an answer.

"Talk to Mommy Hakkai." Gojyo muttered. "Stop looking at me, you damn Saru!"

Hakkai chuckled. "I'm fine. I tend to recover quickly."

Sanzo glared over at the strange man staring at him. "What?" He snapped irritably.

The man smiled brightly, unfazed by Sanzo's glare or tone. "Your clothes, sir; might you be a holy man? Those are priest robes ya got there. What a fine exotic flair." He blinked as he felt someone tugging on his hand. He looked down into Meika's curious eyes. "Yes, little lady?"

"Why are you dressed so funny? Why do you talk funny? Are you not from here? What's your name?" Meika babbled out question after question until Sanzo finally yanked her away from the man.

"You're so annoying." Sanzo grouched out. "What is it you're after?"

The man smiled good-naturedly. "That's easy enough to answer; My companion and I are from the other side of the ocean, from a continent in the far west. We'd like to save the people in Shangri-La from the rampagin' youkai. That's all."

"Can everyone bring people back to life where you come from?" Goku asked curiously.

"Nope." The man said. "I'm one of a kind. Besides, it's not really bringing 'em back. It's more of a transfer. I temporarily collect the souls of dead youkai, and use 'em to revive people."

"Can you bring youkai back with human souls?" Sanzo asked, glaring at the man suspiciously.

The man smiled indulgently at Sanzo. "Now, why would I do somethin' like that? We'll be stayin' in this town for a while. Y'all should be stickin' around too for a bit, am I right? The name's Hazel, Hazel Grosse."

Sanzo hesitated for a moment. "Genjo Sanzo."

Hazel smiled at the group. "I do hope we meet again, Mister Sanzo."

Meika puffed her cheeks out. "I don't think I like him very much…"

Sanzo smoothed her hair down, but said nothing.

xXx

"This smells really good!" Meika exclaimed, running over to a stall with Goku close behind her. "Let's bring some back for Hakkai."

Goku grinned. "Hey, can we have ten plates?"

Meika rocked back and forth on her heels, waiting for the woman to finish making the food. She was so lost in thought, that she didn't notice the woman swinging her cleaver knife at her. Meika would've had her head cut off if it weren't for Goku scooping her out of harm's way. "What's going on?"

_"Kill the youkai…"_ The woman hissed out, staring blankly at the group. A large group joined in her chant, lunging forward to attack Sanzo and the others.

"They're just like the guys from yesterday!" Meika said, standing between Sanzo and Goku. "They even have yellow eyes like them!"

Sanzo grit his teeth. What the hell was going on?


	63. Pity Lunch

**Sakura02: I hate writing accents. They're a pain, and freak my spell check out.**

**Thank you: KaKashiisWifey, Lady Miel Cacao, AdaYuki, Beryl Bloodstone, Anne Fatalism Dilettante, and AngelaAngel for reviewing!**

* * *

"I hope Hakkai is okay." Meika said as she and the others quickly rushed back towards the inn with an angry mob close on their heels. She snarled when she saw a clearly confused Hakkai crouched down in Jeep to avoid the mob swarming him. "Get away from my HaHa!" She kicked one of the people in the face while Goku yanked another one off of Hakkai.

Hakkai smiled shakily and quickly pulled Meika into Jeep. "Now I get my nickname back?"

"No time for that now." Sanzo grouched. "We'll talk later. Everyone, in the car!" He sat down in his seat and took Meika from Hakkai. "Is it just me, or are these people…?

Hakkai nodded, revving the engine and scanning the street for an opening. "Yes. I don't believe we should be fighting them." He looked behind them and saw there was a small hole in the wall of people. "Everyone, hold on tight!"

Meika held on tightly to the front of Sanzo's robes. She happened to glance up and see one of the nearby villagers. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Hey, that's the dead, not-dead guy from yesterday!"

"Not now." Sanzo clipped out shortly, pulling Meika closer to him. "We need to get out of this village, now!"

"Hakkai, watch out!" Meika shouted. Barrels were suddenly rolling directly into their path.

Hakkai had not time to swerve and avoid the barrels. They were briefly airborne, and then Jeep was no longer beneath them. Hakkai landed gracefully, ignoring Gojyo whining about his hands. He glanced over and was relieved to see that Sanzo still had a firm grip on Meika, and that no harm had befallen the child. "It seems they have no intention of letting us leave."

Meika crouched down, though she wasn't very sure about what she was supposed to do. She'd recognized the villagers as the ones that had died yesterday, and been brought back to life by Hazel. She looked up when she felt a hand on her head. "Sanzo?"

Sanzo shook his head and lit a cigarette up. "You don't need to fight. Let the two idiots and Hakkai deal with this."

Gojyo snarled and glared over at Sanzo, knocking one of the villagers to the ground. "You could actually help us, you know!"

"Father?" The girl from the other day pushed passed Hakkai and the others and rushed to her father's side. She knelt beside him. "Father, what's wrong?"

"Hey, watch out…" Meika flinched when the man roughly slapped his daughter away.

"Goku, take him down." Sanzo said coolly, ignoring the shocked look Meika gave him.

Goku looked over at the man running towards him, and then at the girl screaming at her father. "I…I can't!" The man was almost on top of Goku now.

Meika heard the gunshot, but it still took her a few moments to realize that Sanzo had shot the man. She watched the man fall to the ground and shatter just like a shikigami. She looked up at Sanzo, not noticing the other villagers running away. "Sanzo?"

Goku attempted to console the girl who had just watched her father die yet again. He received a death glare for his troubles. Goku clenched his fist angrily at his side. "This totally sucks! If this is all that's going to happen, what's the point of them coming back to life?"

"We're leaving." Sanzo said coldly. He looked down when he felt Meika latch onto his sleeve. "I'm sure to the people of this town, we're just some extra vermin."

Meika released Sanzo's sleeve and remained rooted to her spot. She wrapped her arms around Gojyo's neck as soon as he picked her up. "Do you think that weird guy can bring that girl's dad back to life?"

Gojyo kissed the side of Meika's head, following quickly after Hakkai and the others. "I don't know, Baby Girl."

xXx

Goku was rudely awakened by Gojyo kicking him roughly in the side. He snarled and muttered a few choice curses under his breath. He looked down at his side and saw that Meika was snuggled up against his side. He smoothed a hand over her furrowed brow. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her with a peaceful sleeping face. He smiled apologetically when she opened her eyes. "Sorry. Go back to sleep, MeiMei."

Meika shook her head and curled up closer to Goku. "Don't want to…" She mumbled out. She refused to let go of Goku when he tried to pull away from her.

Goku sighed, and reluctantly picked Meika up and climbed out of Jeep with her. "You're getting heavier, MeiMei."

"It's 'cause I'm growing." Meika huffed out, refusing to let Goku put her on the ground. She poked him in the stomach. "You're fatter than me."

"That's not fat! That's all muscle!" Goku proclaimed. He finally managed to put Meika down on the ground. He crouched next to the running stream and splashed water in his face. He glanced over at Meika and saw the thoughtful look on her face. He took a handful of water and threw it in her face.

Meika gasped as the cold water hit her face. She glared over at Goku. "That was rude!" She put her hand in the water and splashed Goku in the face. She laughed as the two continued their splash fight.

Hakkai chuckled as he came over. "My goodness, you two are certainly energetic this morning. Why don't we stop before one of you catches a cold?"

Goku grinned and hugged Meika. "I made you smile."

"Since when do you get up early?" Gojyo grouched at Goku.

"You kicked me in the side!" Goku snarled.

While the two fought, Meika got up and latched on to Hakkai's hand. She swayed back and forth on her heels. "I'm hungry, Hakkai. Do we have anything besides the canned food?"

Hakkai smiled apologetically. "I'm afraid not. We're lucky to even have that."

Meika pouted. She looked up and saw that Sanzo was awake. She ran over and smiled at him. "Good morning, Sanzo!"

Sanzo paused in brushing his teeth. "Huh?"

"Good morning." Meika repeated, knowing Sanzo was not the greatest morning person in the world. When she really thought about it, Hakkai was the only morning person in the group.

"Morning." Sanzo finally answered. "Did you sleep all right? You were kicking my seat during the night."

"Sorry." Meika apologized.

Sanzo finally looked down at her. He could see dark circles under her eyes, though they were nowhere near as bad as when Homura had been around. "Nightmare?"

Meika played with her hair. "No…Yes…Maybe…I don't remember."

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "You need a haircut." He nodded over to Hakkai. "You seem to have recovered well enough."

Hakkai chuckled. "Yes. I managed to get a good night's sleep last night." He sighed when Goku and Gojyo's fighting reached a new screaming pitch. "I suppose we should all eat."

The group ate out of cans in relative silence. Meika grimaced as she ate her canned peaches. They didn't taste anything like the peaches she always ate at the temple. "This food sucks."

"Language." Hakkai reprimanded. He looked around for any unopened cans. There was only one with some canned tuna. He handed it to Meika. "Eat some protein."

Meika opened the can and sniffed at its contents. She crinkled her nose. "I don't think this is really tuna."

Goku sighed wistfully. "If only we could've gotten those plates of yakisoba…"

Gojyo whapped Goku in the head. "Cheer up."

"Forget about it, Goku." Sanzo said firmly, before the two could begin fighting again. "Worrying about it won't change anything. Meika, eat the damn tuna before I shove it down your throat."

Meika quickly swallowed down the canned tuna. She was about to ask Hakkai for some more canned fruit when she happened to notice some unwelcome visitors approaching them. "It's too early!" She whined.

Goku grinned, already up. "This is perfect." He threw an empty can up into the air and kicked it at the approaching youkai. He managed to take one down.

"Meika, why don't you wait here." Hakkai offered.

Meika snarled, up and ready to fight. "No way! It's early, I'm hungry, and I hate camping out! I need to vent my anger out!"

Hakkai sighed sadly. "She's picking up such bad habits from all of you." He said, looking mostly over at Gojyo and Sanzo. He stayed close to the little girl, making sure she wasn't overwhelmed by the enemy. "It seems they're trying to overpower us with sheer numbers."

"Isn't that great." Sanzo grouched. Just as he was about to shoot at two approaching youkai, two bullets whizzed path both of his cheeks. He stood completely motionless as more bullets took out more of the youkai.

"Well, I do declare; what a bunch of early risers. Y'all are certainly lively." Hazel smiled good-naturedly at the group, his giant bodyguard behind him. "Always a pleasure to see y'all. Isn't this such lovely weather we're havin'?"

"You're the funny talking guy!" Meika declared, earning her a small whap on the head courtesy of Sanzo. "What're you doing here?"

Hazel smiled at the little girl. "Perhaps we oughta be discussin' that later."

"You're right." Gojyo said, taking out a youkai that had tried to sneak up on him. "Like we need that tip!"

Hazel chuckled as the group began fighting again. "It must be nice, bein' such good friends. Go on, Gat."

Meika and Goku both stopped fighting to watch Gat shoot more youkai. "He's awesome!" Goku declared excitedly.

"Isn't he just?" Hazel said with a warm smile. "You fine gentleman and the little lady can just sit back and relax."

Gojyo growled. "Look, pretty boy, these douche bags are our problem. We can handle it."

Hazel blinked. "Oh? I'm sorry. It's just…y'all were takin' so long."

Meika looked suspiciously at Hazel while Gojyo and Goku tried to convince Sanzo to use his Maten Tenjyo. "You're rude."

Hazel smiled. "Aren't ya just the cutest little miss? Mister Sanzo, you really shouldn't force yourself. It just wouldn't do for you to get hurt. Perhaps you oughta hide behind the other members of your team, including the little miss here."

Sanzo snarled. He began chanting and unleashed the power of the Maten Tenjyo. Meika stuck her tongue out at the astonished Hazel. "That's what you get for teasing Sanzo."

Hazel clapped his hands together excitedly. "Well, if that don't beat all! You sure surprised me, Mister Sanzo! There's a town just beyond this forest. I'd like to invite you gentlemen and the little lady to a meal. Oh, and don't worry 'bout payin'; it'll be my treat."

"This better not be a pity lunch." Gojyo sneered. He went over to Meika and scooped the little girl up.

xXx

"My goodness, you have a healthy appetite for such a little thing." Hazel said, watching in fascination as Meika wolfed down a whole plate of dumplings by herself.

Meika gulped down her large glass of chocolate milk. "It's 'cause I had a bad breakfast."

"You really oughta eat some vegetables." Hazel insisted. "Growin' children need vegetables to get stronger."

Meika huffed and held her glass up for the waitress to refill. "I'm already stronger than any kid my age. Right, Hakkai?"

Hakkai smiled endearingly at the little girl. "Of course, Meika. You do still need to eat your vegetables, though."

Gojyo paused in his eating to look up at Hazel. "So, you guys are from the west? Why're you heading back that way?"

Hazel filled up a plate of vegetables for Meika and pushed it in front of the little girl. "My associate and I are out to fight the youkai. It seems the youkai are after y'all. Stayin' by your side should bring the youkai to us."

Hakkai smiled at Hazel. "We'd like to ask you a question regarding the people that you revived."

"By all means." Hazel said, holding a fork of broccoli up to Meika to try and get the girl to eat it.

Meika cringed away from the fork. "Do the people you bring back to life start acting funny?"

"What Meika means, is we'd like to know if there are any side effects to you reviving people." Hakkai clarified. "Meika, stop pouting and eat your vegetables. I won't let you have any more chocolate milk."

Hazel blinked as the fork was suddenly yanked out of his hand. He laughed and watched Meika shovel the vegetables down. "I don't think there are any side effects in particular. It's just, the people I revived were all killed by youkai. When I brought them back, their hatred for youkai came back with 'em. That hate is somethin' I cannot erase. My powers are not sufficient."

Meika suddenly felt uncomfortable with Hazel staring at her. Something was telling her that he wouldn't erase that hatred even if he could. She looked up at Gat and smiled at him. She held up her glass of chocolate milk. "Want some?"

"I'll pass…" Gat said, glancing at the girl out of the corner of his eye."

Hazel smiled at the little girl. "Don't mind Gat. That's just his way."

Sanzo frowned. "So, you enslave the dead you brought back to life?"

"Gat's always been my travelin' companion. He's died before, and it doesn't help that he fights without a care. I never can get enough souls for him. He puts himself in harm's way for little ol' me, so he's someone I rightly appreciate." He clapped his hands together and smiled. "So, why are you gentlemen and the little lady travelin'?"

Gojyo shrugged, lighting up a cigarette. "Shit happened, and we're on clean up duty."

Hazel blinked. "Y'all don't really look like a priest and his disciples."

Sanzo snorted. "They're my underlings." He gestured to Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai. "The brat just tags along."

Hazel chuckled. "I s'pose that's a bit more believable. That technique of yours sure is somethin' Mister Sanzo. It's no wonder the youkai are after y'all."

Sanzo didn't say anything for a moment. "I'm sure that pendant of yours turns heads."

Meika leaned forward, trying to get a better look at the necklace around Hazel's neck. "It's shaped funny."

Hazel smiled as both Meika and Goku crowded around him to better see the pendant. "The shape is very important. See all the holes in it? It can stock a soul in each openin'. Pretty neat, huh?"

Meika hummed thoughtfully. "You're still really weird."

"Manners, Meika." Hakkai reprimanded. He smiled at Hazel. "I simply thought you wore it to be stylish."

Hazel chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "That's funny, sir. Especially comin' from you. Those ear cuffs you wear are mighty stylish themselves."

Meika shuddered as the two men continued to smile at each other. She looked up when a group of villagers walked up to them. "Hi."

The villagers shifted nervously. A man finally spoke up. "We're very sorry to interrupt you lunch, but we had to ask; are you all by chance the famous Bishop Hazel group?"

"I think we've been replaced." Meika whispered to Goku.

"Please save our town, Lord Bishop!" the villagers asked, bowing low.

Haze hummed thoughtfully. "All right. Let's hear what you have to say."


	64. Rescue Mission

**Sakura02: Haha…yeah, he didn't know what he was getting into when he offered to pay.  
Authoresses of the Red Rose: Yes, more of Meika's powers will start coming to light, and it will eventually be revealed the link between Meika and awakened Goku.**

**Thank you: Anne Fatalism Dilettante, Beryl Bloodstone, Lady Miel Cacao, and AdaYuki for reviewing!**

* * *

"Hakkai, why are we going so fast?" Meika asked. She held on tightly to Sanzo as Jeep hit another bump, causing everyone to jump in their seats. She looked in the backseat where the rest of the group was.

Hakkai laughed lightly. "Well, the villagers seemed rather anxious for us to retrieve the missing girls. Poor Jeep…"

Meika leaned over and patted the side of Jeep. "Hang in there, Jeep. We'll get you a nice big glass of chocolate milk when we get back." She peered over Sanzo's shoulder and into the back where Goku, Gojyo, Hazel, and Gat were all squished. Goku seemed to be enjoying himself from his perch on Gat's shoulders. "That looks fun…"

Sanzo wrapped an arm tightly around her waist. "Don't even think about it."

Gojyo growled in annoyance. He glared angrily over at Gat. "Hey, Beast Man, why don't you jump out and lighten the load?"

"Why don't you jump out and lighten the load?" Sanzo snipped back.

Hazel laughed as the two began arguing. "Easy now. Fightin' will just make the place feel all the smaller."

"Sanzo, please hold on to Meika." Hakkai said coolly. "We're coming up to a bump."

"Ah! Gojyo!" Meika yelped. Poor Gojyo hadn't managed to grab on to anything and tumbled out of Jeep. Once he was back in, they resumed the ride to the mountain where the women were being held by the youkai. She looked curiously up at Sanzo. "Hey, Sanzo, if the youkai didn't eat those girls, than what are they going to do with them?"

"Not having this conversation." Sanzo clipped out.

Hazel laughed. "Well aren't you just the sweetest little naïve thing."

Meika glared at the bishop. Even though he was smiling, she felt like he was making fun of her. "You're annoying, and your hat is stupid."

"Meika!" Hakkai reprimanded. "That was a very rude thing to say."

Hazel laughed good naturedly and waved his hand dismissively. "It's all right. From the mouth of babe's, and such." He leaned forward and patted Meika's head. "I'm sure the little miss and I will become the best of friends."

Meika bit back a retort. Sanzo kept squeezing her, which she knew would be her only warning before a possible spanking. She settled back into Sanzo's lap, and began to play with the ends of his sleeves. She always felt the safest in Sanzo's arms.

The group eventually stopped in a small clearing surrounded by trees. Sanzo, Hazel, and Meika remained in Jeep, while the others quickly hid in the trees. Hazel moved to the front seat so he was sitting beside Sanzo. Sanzo growled in annoyance when he noticed Hazel kept looking between Meika and himself. "What?" He snapped irritably.

Hazel held his hands up and smiled good naturedly. "My goodness, you're awful snippy. I was just wonderin' how you and your group obtained the lil' one."

"Goku found…"

"It's none of your business." Sanzo hissed, cutting Meika off. He held Meika closer to him so that she was practically hidden by his sleeves.

Hazel smiled. "An honest-to-God Sanzo priest. Guardians of the Tenchi Kaigen scriptures, am I right? Sanzos are the highest priest that unify this land."

Meika looked up in surprise. "Sanzo, are you really that important?"

Sanzo snarled at Hazel. "How do you know all that?"

"I'm not foolish enough to come to another country without studyin' it first." Hazel answered. "Yes, little one, you're Sanzo priest is really that important."

Again, Sanzo tried to shield Meika from Hazel more than she already was. He scowled darkly at Hazel, not trusting the man one bit. "If you knew all that, then why did you make contact with us?"

"Mercy, don't make such a frightful face. You're ruinin' your good looks." Hazel laughed. "It was honestly a coincidence that I met y'all. Is there a reason you're so wary of me? The little lady seems to get her wariness from you."

"I don't trust people who talk too much." Sanzo answered. He leaned back in the seat, and smoothed Meika's hair down absently. His eyes briefly looked with Meika's curious ones. "I've taught her to do the same."

Hazel adjusted his hat. "What an awful thing to say. With all due respect, from where I'm standin', you're the suspicious one."

Meika tugged on Sanzo's sleeves. "Sanzo, are those the youkai we're looking for?"

Sanzo whapped Meika upside the head as the three youkai approached. "Shut up, Idiot. The whole point of a trap is for them to not know."

The youkai either didn't hear what Sanzo and Meika said, or they just didn't care. They lunged forward to attack the three, only to be greeted by Gat jumping down from the trees. Gat quickly killed two of the three. He was about to kill the last one when Hazel stopped him.

Meika peered over the edge of Jeep. She grinned up at Gat. "That was so cool."

Hakkai sighed. "Our little girl finds violence cool. I suppose there's no one to blame but ourselves." He stepped forward and looked at the clearly shaken youkai. "Are you holding the women you kidnapped here?"

The youkai sneered. "What if we are?"

"Well, good luck with that." Gojyo said with finality.

Hazel pouted. "You lot really aren't going to help? You're truly inhospitable."

Gojyo sneered. "Oh no. We are not falling for that crap. You can do your good Samaritan crap on your own. Right, Sanzo?"

Sanzo frowned at Hazel. "We'll go."

After a bit more persuasion, the youkai revealed where the hideout was and the password to get in. Gat disposed of the youkai, and the group was once again off. Hakkai had tried to convince Meika to wait in Jeep, but she stubbornly refused. The youkai hideout was built into the side of a cliff, with windows going all the way to the top. A large wooden door blocked the groups entrance.

"Should we knock?" Meika asked curiously.

Gojyo knocked on the door and gave the password when asked. Once he heard the door being unlocked, Gojyo kicked the door in. "Pardon the intrusion."

"What terrible manners." Hazel said with a laugh.

Meika frowned. "He said pardon! That means he was being polite. You're really stupid."

"Now, Meika," Hakkai said patiently. "we've talked about name calling. That isn't ladylike behavior."

Meika stayed back with Sanzo while Gojyo, Goku, and Gat dealt with most of the youkai that began attacking. She shot a water dragon at an approaching youkai. Before he could get back up, she jumped right onto chest, making sure to break a few ribs. "Hey, can you tell us where you're keeping those girls? It'd be really nice if you did." She dug her heel into the youkai's quickly bruising chest when he shouted some rather nasty words at her. "Please?"

"A monster." Hakkai chuckled. The youkai had quickly revealed they were on the top floor. "She's starting to become more and more like you every day, Sanzo."

Sanzo raised an eyebrow. The rest of the group had run on ahead. "Me?" He grabbed Meika's hand and tugged the little girl after the group.

Meika looked up at Sanzo. Goku, Gojyo, and Gat were dealing with most of the youkai that got in their way, while Hazel simply continued running. "Sanzo, why are we helping him? You don't usually like doing stuff like this."

Hakkai nodded in agreement. "Is something going on?"

Sanzo warily watched Hazel. Goku had just kicked open a door that was booby trapped. Gat shielded Goku with his body, resulting in himself taking the fatal attack. Hazel easily revived and healed Gat as though it were nothing. "It's his power. He's able to control souls at will. I don't know what clergy he's from, but that's definitely not something a single person can handle." He looked down when he felt Meika squeeze his hand.

Meika smiled brightly up at Sanzo. "Don't worry, Sanzo. I won't let him hurt any of you."

Sanzo didn't answer. They'd finally reached the top floor. After Gojyo dealt with the guards, Hazel kicked down the door. Meika attempted to peer into the room, but she couldn't see past Gojyo, Goku, and Gat all trying to shove into the door at the same time. "We're not very good team players, are we, Hakkai." Meika said.

Hakkai laughed. "No, we aren't."

"Their stupidity kills me." Sanzo grit out.

"Someone, call the guards!" One of the youkai shouted.

"You can't." Meika said, finally managing to squeeze into the room. Gojyo and the others quickly followed after her. "They're asleep right now." She blinked as the youkai leader grabbed one of the girls and held a sword to her throat. "Gojyo, she's not wearing very much clothing…"

Goku groaned in annoyance. "Not again…"

Hakkai chuckled. He placed a hand over Meika's eyes. "Keep in mind that they are desperate."

Hazel stepped forward. "So what if they die? Gat, do what you have to do." He smiled coolly at the shocked looks on the youkai and Sanzo group alike. "I hate to disappoint y'all, but those kind of threats don't work on me. I'll make sure to revive any unfortunate victims."

"You can't do that!" Meika protested. She could see the frightened looks on the three girls faces. One was already crying.

"Three hostages and three souls." Hazel said. "That's enough for transferrin'. It all works out." He blinked, but then quickly smiled when Hakkai and Goku prevented Gat from shooting. "I thought you lot didn't want to help."

"We're doing this our own way." Gojyo snarled. He quickly killed the three youkai without hurting any of the girls.

The girls rushed over to Hakkai and began sobbing. Meika went over to them and patted one on the shoulder. "It's okay. Don't be scared."

Goku snarled at Hazel. "Were you really going to kill those girls?"

Hazel's cool smile slipped away, and he began to laugh. "Goodness, couldn't you tell I was bluffin'? What are y'all so angry about?"

Meika glared at Hazel. "I don't like you. You're not a good person."

"Enough, Meika." Sanzo said, resting a hand on her head. "Let's just hurry up and deal with this."

xXx

Meika yawned sleepily in Goku's lap. "Are we there yet?"

Hakkai smiled and nodded. "Yes. The town where Sanzo and the others are is right up ahead. We would have gotten there sooner if our friend hadn't insisted on giving a demonstration of his power."

Hazel waved a hand dismissively. "Well, I felt rather bad about frightenin' the ladies. I was hopin' to make amends with them and the little lady in the back." He looked over his shoulder and smiled at Meika. "I am terribly sorry for upsetin' you so."

Meika glared at him, and clung more tightly to Goku. "It's fine."

Goku grinned, and patted one of the multiple wrapped packages at his side. "Look at all this cool stuff we got, though!"

Hakkai abruptly slammed on the brakes. Goku had to hold tightly to Meika to prevent the little girl from flying out of Jeep. Meika stood up on Goku's legs to try and see what had caused their sudden stop. She was rather surprised to see a young youkai boy, no older than her, trembling in the road. "Are you okay?" She asked him.

The youkai boy quickly picked up his fallen food. He ran off into the tall grass without a word.

Hazel was quiet for a moment. When Hakkai began driving again, he spoke up. "Would you mind stoppin' the jeep? I won't be long."

"You leave that boy alone!" Meika shouted. "He hasn't done anything wrong!"

Hakkai smiled coolly. "You're a free to walk back that way, Sir. After you've gotten through Goku and myself of course."

Hazel blinked and then began laughing. "I see now why Mr. Sanzo made you three come with me instead of Gat."

Meika settled back down once she realized Hazel had given up the idea. She tilted her face up to look at Goku. "Do you think he was hungry?" No one answered her.

xXx

They found the inn where Sanzo, Gojyo, and Gat were all waiting. Meika rushed in and climbed into Sanzo's lap. "Hey, Sanzo, we got lots of food as a thank you. Are you hungry?"

Sanzo couldn't answer. He was too busy trying to block out the sound of Gojyo and Goku fighting over the food. He stood up with Meika in one arm, and smacked the two in the head with his paper fan. "Shut up!"

The group ate dinner with hardly any incidents. Once the plates were cleared, Sanzo lifted Meika up out of her chair. He held her under his arm like a football. "Bedtime." He said when she began whining.

Meika immediately stopped whining. Sanzo rarely tucked her in. She smiled happily and said good night to everyone, minus Hazel. He received a glare.

Sanzo dropped Meika on her bed once he reached her room. He pulled the covers back and waited for her to lay down before he covered her up. He gently flicked her nose. "Go to sleep. No nightmares."

"Okay." Meika said quietly. She grabbed Sanzo's hand when he turned to leave. "Sanzo, I love you."

Sanzo didn't answer. He pulled his hand from Meika's and smoothed her hair down. "Good night." He left the room once she closed her eyes.

Meika hadn't been asleep for very long when she heard a loud commotion. She climbed out of bed and went into the hallway. She ran downstairs only to find the rest of the group as well as the entire inn standing around a sobbing woman. Meika latched onto Gojyo's arm. For the first time, she noticed the woman was holding a very still baby. "Is he…?" She stopped speaking when Gojyo shook his head. She glanced over at Hazel, waiting for him to do something.

Hazel smiled apologetically. "I can't help her. I'm outta souls. I did ask y'all earlier to stop the jeep."

Goku snarled, seeing how upset Meika was at Hazel's words. He and the others were rather shocked when Hakkai lunged forward and grabbed Hazel by his collar. "Hakkai!"

"You're nothing but a…" Hakkai couldn't even find the words. He was beyond furious.

Hazel's smile disappeared. "Fine. Is there anyone here willin' to exchange their life for the child's?" When no one answered, he pulled himself away from Hakkai's grip. "I didn't think so."

Meika hugged Gojyo around the waist. She really hated Hazel. The sooner the group got away from him, the better.


	65. Will to Live

**Sakura02: Lol, very insightful.  
Lady Miel Cacao: Haha, of course! Sanzo doesn't know how to persuade any other way. **

**Thanks: AdaYuki, Beryl Bloodstone, and AngelaAngel for reviewing!**

* * *

"Oi, you should be in bed." Sanzo looked down at the little girl attached to his waist. He frowned when Meika didn't acknowledge him, and instead continued to stare out the window. He took a long drag from his cigarette and blew it far away from Meika. "You don't need to go out there. Those idiots will just step on you."

Meika finally tore her eyes away from where Gat and Goku were training. "Goku wouldn't." She crinkled her nose as Sanzo took another puff of his cigarette. She looked back out the window and tightened her grip on Sanzo's waist. A smile slipped onto her face when she felt Sanzo idly smoothing her hair down. "Sanzo, about that baby from earlier…"

"There was nothing we could have done." Sanzo said firmly. He flicked the little girl on the forehead when she didn't respond. "Hey, did you hear me?"

Meika looked up at Sanzo. "Yes." She rested her head against Sanzo's side. Her smile returned when Sanzo once again resumed stroking her hair. She tried to cover her yawn from Sanzo. She liked these rare moments when it was just the two of him. He was much more affectionate than when the others were around.

"Well now, ain't this just the sweetest thing." Hazel sauntered down the hallway towards the two. He smiled brightly. "Isn't it awful late for the little lady to be up?"

"Meika, go to bed now." Sanzo clipped out.

Meika didn't argue. She shot Hazel a parting glare before running off to the room she was sharing with Gojyo and Hakkai for the night. She threw herself into the closest bed, not bothering to even put on her nightgown.

Gojyo let out a grunt at the little body landing on his arm. He turned over and smiled. "Hey, Meika. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Meika huffed out. She sat up and crawled over Gojyo to look at Hakkai. "Are you awake, Hakkai?"

Hakkai sat up and smiled. "Yes, of course. Is everything all right, Meika?"

"I hate that stupid Hazel." Meika blurted out. "When is he going to go away? When are things going to go back to normal?"

Hakkai couldn't help the small chuckle that came out. "What do you define as normal, Meika?"

"Hazel not being here." Meika answered without any hesitation. "I mean, he always calls me stupid names."

Hakkai was silent for a moment. "Gojyo, have you noticed that as well?"

"What?" Gojyo asked. He finally sat up with Meika in his lap. He fixed the little girl's hair idly while he waited for Hakkai to answer.

"Aside from Sanzo, Hazel-san has never called any of us by name. I would imagine he knows our names by now." Hakkai said slowly.

Meika let out another yawn and laid back down. "It's because he's rude. He acts like he has manners, but he doesn't. That's why I don't like him. He's not real…well, he is, but he doesn't act real…"

"He's fake is what you're trying to say." Gojyo finally decided to help the little girl find the right words. "He talks about human and youkai a lot. He sounds an awful lot like Banri when he talks."

Meika looked between the two men curiously. "Who's Banri?"

"A man you will never ever meet." Hakkai said firmly, glaring over at Gojyo for even mentioning the man. "You are right, though. He used to always say that though we call our land paradise, it has a serious youkai abuse problem. He thought the youkai should teach the humans a lesson someday."

Gojyo hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe this whole calamity is what he was talking about."

Meika rolled her eyes and pulled the covers up to her chin. "I don't know what you guys are talking about. I just want that stupid Hazel to go away and this 'calamity' to be over."

Gojyo chuckled and kissed Meika's cheek. "We all do, Baby Girl. We all do."

xXx

Meika stared out the window, her arms dangling outside. She yawned and glared up at the bright sun. They were all in the main area that connected all their rooms. "Goku's been up all night." She mumbled when Gojyo came over to the window. She smiled sleepily as he began brushing her hair out with his fingers.

Hazel laughed lightly. "It seems the two of them have become powerful friends."

"Goku, breakfast is almost read—" Hakkai hadn't even finished calling out when Goku leapt through the window over Meika and Gojyo's head.

Goku rushed over to the fruit bowl and grabbed an apple. He ran back over to the window and threw the apple out to Gat. He grinned at the confused look on the giant man's face. "It's not like you can't eat, right?" Goku scooped Meika up and rubbed his nose with hers. "Come on, MeiMei. Let's go get some breakfast."

"Aren't you tired, Goku?" Meika asked curiously. "You didn't sleep at all."

Goku grinned. "Nope, I'm fine. I'll sleep once we leave."

Meika was about to protest when a young youkai boy jumped in through the window. He looked about Meika's age, though he was much thinner and rough looking. His eyes were wild, and he was clearly afraid. The sounds of angry shouts below made the young boy tense even more.

"Here, kid." Gojyo motioned to the table where everyone's breakfast was laid out.

"Meika, come sit down and eat." Hakkai said casually, while everyone took their places at the table.

Meika did as she was told and began eating. She did her best to ignore the boy cowering under the table. She could feel him trembling against her leg. She looked up from her breakfast when a group of angry men barged into their room. "Good morning."

The men were taken aback, their anger quickly dissipating. "Um, sorry." One man muttered. "That's strange…A boy didn't come running through here, did he?"

Hakkai shook his head. "No. Is everything all right?"

Meika placed her hands in her lap while the men spoke about the young youkai boy under the table. She carefully patted the boy on the head without making any sudden movements so as not to alert the men. Once they left, she lifted up the tablecloth. Meika gave the boy a small smile. "It's safe to come out now. They're gone."

The youkai boy cautiously came out from under the table. He looked at the group that simply continued eating as though nothing happened. He bowed quickly to them and then ran out of the room without so much as a word.

Hazel dabbed at his mouth with his napkin. "If y'all will excuse me…" He tapped Gat's shoulder as he walked by.

"What, you two off to piss together or something?" Gojyo sneered.

Meika crinkled her nose. "That's gross, Gojyo!"

"Y'all remember the baby from yesterday, don't you?" Hazel asked, removing his hat. "Don't y'all wanna do somethin' for that poor child? There's still time if I'm quick about it."

Meika stood up in her chair and threw a dumpling at Hazel's head. "You leave him alone, you creepy weirdo!"

"Not the food!" Goku wailed.

"Mercy, I'm bein' treated like a villain here." Hazel said, though none of his composure slipped away.

"This isn't about you." Gojyo grit out. "We all think your powers are dangerous and that you need to just knock it off!"

Hazel shrugged off Gojyo's shouting as though it were nothing. "I'm sure everyone's thought about it before; what if I could bring someone back from the dead? I'm pretty reasonable. I like ta think I know how terrible this power is. If I could avoid usin' it, I would. Since I can't, I made a promise to only use youkai souls to revive people who are gone."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Goku asked. He wrapped his arms protectively around Meika and glared at the man.

A wicked smile crept onto Hazel's face. "It means I'll use my powers 'til all the youkai are wiped clean off the face of the world."

"The youkai in Shangri-La went berserk because of the minus calamity." Sanzo said, keeping his cool. He was the only one still seated. "We're going west to find out who started it."

"Do ya have any guarantee that will fix it?" Hazel asked. "Think about it. If all the youkai were gone, this world would be a better place."

"I thought you said you were here to save the humans!" Goku shouted angrily.

Hazel shrugged casually. "I am. The ends justify the means. Just think of a world with just humans. On the continent outside of Shangri-La, youkai are considered monsters. They're dark sons of bitches that threaten human lives. Ya really think it took a calamity to make 'em how they are?"

Hakkai put an arm out to stop Gojyo from lunging forward. He glanced over at Meika. Anger and fear were flashing through her red eyes. He looked back to Hazel, his eyes dark and cold. "Even if that is the case, Hazel-san, we won't let you kill a child of any race right before our very eyes."

Hazel sighed and put his hat back on. "Y'all are inhuman."

"Well, yeah." Meika finally found her voice. "We're youkai."

"Of course, you've known that for a while." Hakkai said, his voice cool and neutral.

Hazel continued to smile. "I thought I was bein' polite by pretendin' not to notice."

"If you hate youkai so much, why haven't you tried to kill us yet?" Gojyo sneered. "Wanna try your luck? We'd add four more souls to your sick little soul count."

"I don't want to be added to that count." Meika protested.

Hakkai hoisted Meika up and away from Goku. "You won't be." He handed the protesting child over to Sanzo, his usual smile back in place. "Sanzo, could you take care of Meika and excuse the rest of us for a moment?"

Sanzo took Meika from Hakkai. He took one last drag of his cigarette before putting it out. "Do whatever you want."

xXx

"You sure you don't wanna help your friends, Mister Sanzo?" Hazel asked, not taking his eyes off of Hakkai and the others across the open field from him.

Sanzo took a long drag of his cigarette. He held Meika against his side, despite her struggling. "I'm not taking sides. If you don't hold still, I will spank you. Don't you trust those morons?"

Meika finally stopped struggling as the others began fighting. "I do trust them. I just don't understand why I can't fight too."

Sanzo took another drag of his cigarette. He roughly ruffled the little girl's hair. "You don't need to fight because you aren't as stupid as them." He glanced over to the side and pulled out his gun. He shot Gat in the arm before Gat could shoot Goku in the head.

Hazel paused and looked over. "I thought you said you weren't goin' to interfere."

"Things have changed." Sanzo said coolly, putting his gun away.

Meika looked over at where Sanzo was looking. She was surprised to see the young youkai boy from earlier hiding behind a tree. "It's you. What're you doing here?"

The boy looked uncertainly at all of them. "Why are you all fighting? You all helped me…"

"Get away from him!" Meika yelled as Sanzo approached the young boy.

Hazel ignored her. He plastered a bright smile on his face. "I would like to take your life. There's a baby who died from sickness the other day. The baby's mama cried her eyes out. If you give me your soul, that child can live again. Do you understand what I'm sayin', child?"

"Don't listen to him!" Meika yelled. "He's crazy!"

"So, if I die, the other baby will live?" The young boy asked quietly.

Hazel smiled and nodded. "Aren't you tired of always bein' hungry and runnin'? I can give you a break."

"Yeah…okay…" The boy said finally. "Mama and Papa left. All my friends went crazy and left too. The people in town said I'm gonna be next. So…yeah, I don't care if I die. You can save the baby."

Hazel stood up. "Gat."

"Don't!" Meika screamed as Gat brought his gun up.

The young boy covered his ears, waiting for the gun shot.

"You're shaking." Sanzo said, walking over to the boy's side and smoking his cigarette. "Are you scared? I wonder why that is…"

"I…don't want…to die…" The boy said quietly.

"I can't hear you." Sanzo said coolly.

"I don't want to die." The youkai boy said, much louder this time.

"Louder!" Sanzo finally shouted at the boy.

"I don't want to die!" The boy screamed. "I really don't! I want to live! I don't want to die!"

Meika glared over at Hazel, her hands on her hips. "You heard him, you big fat jerk."

Hazel tipped his hat down over his eyes. "That was just unfair, Mister Sanzo." He looked back at the youkai boy. "I guess I scared you, son. Beggin' your pardon."

After the little youkai boy left, the entire group sat around a small cluster of trees. Meika rested her head in Gojyo's lap. "That was boring."

"There's somethin' I'd like to ask y'all." Hazel said, inclining his head towards Meika and the others. "Why haven't y'all gone crazy?"

Hakkai laughed lightly. "You could say we're half-baked, even as youkai."

"So, y'all are lowbred?" Hazel asked curiously.

"We are not!" Meika protested, glaring up at Hazel.

Hazel was quiet for a moment. "Whatever the case may be, it doesn't matter. I don't think what I'm doin' is wrong. The next time we see that boy, if he's lost his mind, I'll do what I was plannin' to do. Y'all would do the same."

Goku stood up abruptly. He picked Meika up and put her on his shoulders. "Fine. Wanna race then? You guys want to kill all the youkai. Either you do that, or we stop the calamity first."

Hazel looked between Goku's determined eyes and Meika's angry glare. He finally cracked a small smile. "My, you say the most interestin' things, little feller…I mean…Mister Goku." He inclined his head to Meika. "Beggin' your pardon, Miss Meika. I know I've caused you a great deal of irritation these past few days. I accept the challenge. Today, I'll be askin' for all of y'all's forgiveness."

Hakkai smiled good-naturedly. "Would it be entirely inappropriate for us to say 'much obliged'?"

xXx

"There's so much more room in Jeep now." Meika sighed happily. She was stretched out beside Goku in the back seat with her head on his leg.

Goku grinned and tickled Meika on her neck. "That was more fun than I'd thought it'd be."

Gojyo rolled his eyes. He reached over and began tickling Meika as well, causing the little girl to squeal in laughter. "Shoot me if we're ever called 'The Hazel Party' again."

Sanzo felt a headache coming on as Meika began screaming for the two to stop. He whipped around with his gun. "That's it! You two have lost Meika Privileges!" He yanked Meika into the front seat between him and Hakkai.

"MeiMei!" Goku wailed. He quickly shut up when the gun was once again pointed at him.

Hakkai laughed lightly. "Meika Privileges?"

"Shut up." Sanzo grit out. He sighed irritably and lit another cigarette. "Now we've got a challenge to deal with."

Meika giggled. "We're not very good at backing down from things like that. This is going to be fun."


	66. Chosen Path

**Sakura02: Lol, me too!**

**Thank you: Beryl Bloodstone, KaKashiisWifey, Lady Miel Cacao, and AdaYuki for reviewing!**

* * *

"Sanzo, this is boring!" Meika whined from her seat in Jeep. Once again, a group of youkai assassins had attacked them, spouting the same clichés that all the others did.

"I'm still hungry!" Goku huffed out, killing yet another youkai.

Hakkai laughed good naturedly. He destroyed a few more youkai. "At least this happened just outside of the town instead of inside."

A man suddenly appeared at the entrance to the town. He waved frantically at the battling group, trying to get their attention. "There's no need for you to fight! Please, just come into town!" When the group hesitated, the man tried to smile in reassurance. "It's all right. Please, hurry!"

Meika hopped out of Jeep. Once Jeep had transformed back into Hakuryuu, she grabbed the tiny dragon from the air and clutched him tightly to her. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. She yelped as she was suddenly hoisted up and over Sanzo's shoulder. Once they were within the border of the town, Meika hopped off of Sanzo's shoulder with Hakuryuu still in her arms. "You know they're just going to follow us in here."

The townsman smiled. "No they won't. This town is protected by a holy power."

The group was astonished when the youkai hesitated at the entrance to the town. They quickly turned and ran off, swearing they would get Sanzo and the others once they left the village.

Hakkai was the first of the group to manage to find his voice. "You said there is a holy power that protects this place?"

The man nodded. "It may be best for you to stay in the town for a while. Please, come with me."

Meika and the others stared around in awe at the tall gorgeous buildings surrounding the town's main thoroughfare. This was by far the most peaceful village Meika and the others had seen in a long time. "This is so cool!" Meika gushed out.

"MeiMei, look!" Goku tapped the road beneath them and beamed. "They've got stone roads!"

Gojyo nodded. He hoisted Meika up onto his shoulder. "The scenery has been looking different ever since we crossed those mountains…"

"We've come quite a long way." Hakkai said thoughtfully.

Sanzo didn't notice the fancy buildings or the road. He didn't notice what a huge town they were in, nor the smiling faces all around them. He fixed the man that had allowed them in with a serious look. "Explain to me this power that protects all of you."

The man smiled excitedly, seemingly eager to tell the story. "Of course! We were once terrified of youkai attacks. A few years ago, the great Taoist master Soushin became our town's elder. He placed the barriers all around the town. Since then, not a single youkai has been able to cross it."

Goku blinked, looking around at their group. "Really? But…we got…" He was cut off by Gojyo roughly punching him in the back of the head.

"That's wonderful." Hakkai said quickly, drawing the curious man's attention away from Goku. "I suppose we can relax here for a while."

The man led the group to the local inn. They booked a single room with four beds. Once they were alone, they began conversing about the strange town. "That barrier doesn't really work." Meika piped up from her spot beside Goku. "We all got in just fine."

"Those youkai didn't follow us in here, though…" Hakkai trailed off thoughtfully.

Sanzo shrugged and lit up a cigarette. He blew out a puff of smoke and stared blankly up at the ceiling. "Maybe the barrier is too weak for you guys."

Goku shrugged and flopped onto the bed. He pulled Meika down beside him and snuggled with the little girl. "Who cares? We finally get a chance to relax and not worry about morons trying to kill us."

It wasn't long before the group decided to go downstairs and get a bite to eat. Meika happily sipped at her chocolate milk while Gojyo and Goku argued over the last spring roll. Sanzo shoved a plate of food over to Meika. "Eat, brat."

Hakkai laughed as Meika reluctantly began eating the vegetables on her plate. "At least those two fighting fits into this environment." He gestured around at the rather raucous dining area they were currently sitting in. "I wonder if it perhaps has something to do with the fact that they haven't been attacked by youkai."

"Excuse me." A man walked over, his hands clasped in front of him and a wide smile on his face. His gaze shifted from one member of the group to the next until he finally stopped at Sanzo. His smile seemed to widen considerably. "Might you be the great Priest Sanzo?"

"No." Sanzo said curtly, continuing to eat.

Meika glared suspiciously over at the man. "What do you want with him?"

"Meika, manners." Hakkai reprimanded her gently.

The man didn't seem put off by any of this. He continued to smile at the group. "Master Soushin heard that the infamous Sanzo was in our town. He would love to get to meet him."

The group was led to the most ornate house in all the town. It couldn't really be called a house. It was more like a mansion. Meika gaped openly at the interior of the house, which was even more ornate and richly decorated than the outside. The group was led to a large sitting room and served tea. Eventually, an old man in Taoist robes stepped into the room and sat across from the group.

The man inclined his head to the group. "To think that a great Sanzo priest would enter my humble town. This is a great honor. If it would please all of you, I'd like for you to stay here in the mansion than in that cheap inn room you reserved."

Sanzo shook his head, not even touching the tea in front of him. "There's no need."

"This place is huge…" Meika continued staring around the room.

"I believe this house reflects how the townspeople think of him." Hakkai answered back quietly.

Sanzo finally took a sip of his tea. "I've heard that you're the one that cast the barrier around this town."

Soushin nodded his head. "I happened to stop and rest here a few years ago. The people told me of their trouble with youkai. I cast the spell to protect the town. One thing led to another, and then they made me their elder."

"You must possess a considerable amount of power to do something like that." Hakkai said, pinching Meika's arm when the girl opened her mouth to say something.

Soushin inclined his head. "I thank you for your kind words."

Gojyo slouched back in his seat. He fixed Soushin with a curious look. "A youkai with a power limiter is able to pass pretty closely for a human these days, though."

Soushin chuckled. "I suppose. However, I am able to see through such deceptions at a glance."

Hakkai had to pinch Meika once again when the little girl opened her mouth to say something. Meika huffed and slouched down lower in her seat.

"How long are you and your group planning to stay in town?" Soushin asked curiously.

"We'll be gone by noon tomorrow." Sanzo answered shortly. "We're in a hurry."

Soushin stood up, signaling the group to do the same. "That is unfortunate. Well, there is a festival tonight. I hope you will all enjoy it."

Sanzo took Meika's hand and began leading the group out of the sitting room. He glanced back over his shoulder at Soushin and frowned. "You neglected to mention how you knew I was a Sanzo priest."

Soushin smiled easily. "Your robes give you away, Priest Sanzo. The people of this town are very pious, you see."

xXx

"This festival is awesome!" Meika gushed out from her perch on Gojyo's shoulders. She looked around at the crowded streets and at all the booths people were milling around. Even the back streets were crowded with festival goers.

Hakkai took Meika from Gojyo's shoulders and placed her on the ground beside him. He took the little girl's hand and smiled warmly at her. "I think we should discuss the rather suspicious elder we just spoke with."

"You mean how he's obviously a fake?" Gojyo casually spat out.

Meika nodded in agreement. "He says he can tell who's a youkai at a glance, but he didn't recognize any of us."

Sanzo looked up to say something, only to find that Gojyo and Goku had already wandered off deeper into the festival. He growled in annoyance. "I'm going back to the inn."

"I'm worried about those two being alone." Hakkai murmured, his grip still firm on Meika's hand. "I'll keep Meika with me and we'll explore a bit more."

Sanzo glanced quickly at the little girl quickly before shrugging. "Do as you please."

Hakkai and Meika finally caught up to Gojyo and Goku. While Gojyo and Hakkai happily drank beer and sake, Meika and Goku contented themselves with stuffing their faces with delicious foods. The little group could hear the townspeople talking about the celebration honoring Soushin keeping the youkai out. Gojyo and Goku missed one of the men wishing that all youkai were completely wiped from the earth. Hakkai noticed the cloud that suddenly settled over Meika's usually cheerful face. He reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"We should be getting back to the inn." Hakkai stood up and helped Meika down from her seat. "If we're late, Sanzo will be mad at me for not bringing all of you back sooner."

Goku sighed, but reluctantly got up. He took Meika's hand in his and began swinging his arm happily back and forth. He paused when he noticed a large crowd gathered around something. "What's going on…" He pushed through the crowd and came to an abrupt stop.

"Goku?" Meika peeked around Goku. Her breath caught when she saw the two youkai children with chains around their necks. One had scales and was pale green in color. The other was a youkai boy with wings. Meika's grip on Goku tightened. "Goku…what're they doing to them?" The sound of crowd laughing and cheering made Meika sick to her stomach. She was suddenly feeling very woozy and lightheaded. Her grip on Goku's hand slackened. Her vision tunneled before she finally passed out.

When Meika awoke, she found herself in a cold, dank cell. The area was dimly lit by torches far out of her reach. Meika slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her head hurt, but other than that she didn't think she was too injured. She looked to the side and saw Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai all unconscious. "Goku!" She shook Goku's shoulder furiously until he finally sat up.

"Wha…MeiMei!" Goku quickly scooped the little girl up into his lap. "Are you okay? Those bastards didn't hurt you, did they?"

Meika quickly shook her head. "I'm okay. We've got to wake Gojyo and Hakkai." The two woke the others after a few shakes.

"You're all awake." The man who had led them to Soushin stood on the other side of the bars. "I didn't expect all of you to wake up so soon."

Hakkai sighed and sat fully up. "I suppose we should have considered the possibility of a pact between the youkai and humans of this village." At everyone's shocked faces, Hakkai continued. "I'm sure they have some sort of pact with the youkai. They probably pay for their safety."

"So that old jerk really was a liar!" Meika exclaimed furiously.

Gojyo held Meika close to his side and glared over at the man. "What does that mean for us?"

"You are all very valuable." The man said calmly, his smile still on his face. "Today, you four will be the payment."

Goku looked around, suddenly realizing somebody was missing. "Where's Sanzo?" He asked in alarm.

"Don't worry." The man turned to leave. "You four will soon join your master." He closed the door, leaving the group alone in their cell.

Meika immediately began crying uncontrollably. "Sanzo is dead! They fed him to the youkai!"

"You really think Sanzo would let himself be killed that way?" Gojyo tried his best to console the distraught child. He hugged her close and smoothed her hair down. "He's all right. We'll get out of here and find him."

"He is probably in the hands of the youkai by now, though." Hakkai calmly looked around their cell. "We don't have any time to waste." He sighed when Goku began furiously shaking the bars. He pulled out a long, thin piece of slightly bent metal from his pocket. "Step aside, Goku." He quickly picked the lock to their cell and led them out.

The group was immediately met with a group of guards trying to stop them. The group easily knocked everyone in their way aside. Hakkai laughed cheerfully. "I always knew something like this would happen. It's a good thing I took correspondence course in lock picking."

"I have nothing to say to that…" Gojyo muttered, dragging Meika along behind him. They eventually made their way outside and looked around their surroundings. "Looks like we're outside that quack's mansion. I say we grab that Taoist and make him tell us where Sanzo is."

"I'm right here." Soushin appeared with guards at his side. "I greatly disapprove of being called a quack."

"You jerk!" Meika snarled out, pointing accusing at Soushin. "You've been working with the youkai!"

Soushin shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Child."

"Perhaps you should use one of your spells to capture us then." Hakkai said coolly. When Soushin made no move, Hakkai continued speaking. "You sacrifice travelers like us to the youkai. I assume from how wealthy this town is, that you also pay off the youkai to keep your pact in place."

Soushin shrugged his shoulders casually. "As long as this town is at peace, I don't believe the townspeople care much where the peace comes from. The masses are apt to be fools, after all."

Goku grabbed Meika's hand and began storming off. "This is getting us nowhere. Let's go find Sanzo on our own." The group quickly ran out of the mansion's gates and down the stairs to escape Soushin and his approaching guards. Goku and Meika ran into Gojyo whom had stopped abruptly in front of them.

"Gojyo, what's wrong?" Meika peered around Gojyo and was shocked to see the people of the town blocking their way. They were all armed with knives and other household weapons. "What's going on?"

"We can't let you go." One man spoke up. "We have to protect our town."

Hakkai frowned. "So, you all knew your elder was in league with the youkai."

"We're grateful to you, Elder." One of the other men spoke up. You brought peace to our town by any means necessary. We need you to continue to lead us. Our town is in your hands."

"All of you just look the other way while he sacrifices innocent people?" Meika glared accusingly at the assembled people. "You're no better than the youkai you're so afraid of."

"We have things we need to protect." A man said quietly. "Is it so wrong that our protection is built on the loss of a few? Is it a crime? We don't care if you judge us. This is the path we've chosen."

Gojyo, Goku, and Hakkai immediately circled protectively around Meika. Hakkai smiled his usual casual smile. "I suppose I can understand your feelings. However, there are things we wish to protect as well."

"We won't go easy on you if you fight us." Gojyo hissed out. "You're not touching my baby girl and sacrificing her." The group was ready to fight off every single villager, when a shot rang through the entire area.

"Sanzo!" Meika gasped out when she saw the seriously bleeding Sanzo priest. She rushed forward to meet him as the townspeople quickly moved out of his way. She reached out and gently touched his hand. She could tell her was barely managing to stay on his feet. "Sanzo…"

Sanzo rested a hand weakly on her head before pulling her along with him. He ignored the sound of the one man screaming for the others to seize them. As soon as he reached Goku, Sanzo collapsed into the boy's arms.

"He'll be all right." Hakkai immediately consoled at Meika's despondent cry.

Sanzo glanced over at the shocked Soushin. "That was a waste of your damn time. I'm going to outlive all of you and die with my pride intact."

"There's no way a human is that strong!" One person protested.

Sanzo shrugged. "You could be right, but this is the path we've chosen." With Goku's help, Sanzo managed to keep up with the group as they left the town. He weakly squeezed Meika's hand when she gently slipped her fingers between his.


	67. A New Friend

**Sakura02: Lol, I know! I was so proud :)**

**Thanks: AdaYuki, Lady Miel Cacao, Beryl Bloodstone, Kitcat567, RandomReader16, and AngelaAngel for reviewing!**

* * *

Meika walked beside Goku, happily swinging her empty water container at her side. It had been a relatively peaceful day. They hadn't seen any youkai or humans for the past few hours. She latched onto Goku's hand and looked up at him. "I'm hungry. Do you think we'll reach the next town soon? One without a crazy guy running it?"

Goku laughed and hoisted Meika up into the air by her waist. "I hope so. I'm starving!"

Meika giggled, and looked off to the side where a group of beautifully colored birds were chirping happily away. She cocked her head to the side when she noticed something strange on the ground. "Goku, is that man dead?"

Goku glanced over to where Meika was pointing. He put Meika down on the ground, and took her hand. The two curiously approached the still body. Goku crouched down beside the prone body, debating whether or not to poke the man.

"I think he's a youkai." Meika said quietly, noting the pointed ears. She blinked and clutched tighter to Goku when the man groaned.

The man lifted a feeble hand. "W-Water…"

"MeiMei, go get some fruit." Goku motioned to a nearby fruit tree. He hoisted the man over his shoulder and dragged him to the stream a few feet away.

By the time Meika returned, the man had finished drinking his fill of water. She cautiously approached the strange youkai. She peered up into his face and held the fruit out to him. "Are you hungry?"

The youkai snatched the food away from Meika. He inhaled the food quickly, before sitting back and sighing. "I didn't realize I was so close to food. I'm disappointed in myself…"

Meika knelt between Goku and the youkai. She began filling up her water container. "You missed the stream too…"

Goku laughed at the annoyed look on the youkai's face. "So, why were you laying in the middle of the road dying?"

The youkai huffed indignantly. "I wasn't 'dying'. The forest lured me into its vile, tangled clutches."

"So…you got lost." Meika giggled and patted the youkai on his head. "You're funny."

The youkai quickly straightened up. "You have my thanks, both of you."

Goku looked at the youkai curiously. "So, what are you doing out here anyways?"

The youkai was quiet for a moment. "I'm looking for a group of murderers. They've been killing my kinsmen for quite a while now. I once challenged them to a battle, and I was so close to winning! The cowards ran away, though! I'm sure they feared my power."

"Wow." Meika said, rather impressed. "You must be really strong."

"Of course I am." The youkai scoffed. "I'm well known as the famous illusionist, Zakuro."

While Meika pondered the familiarity of the name, Goku spoke up. "Your name sounds like salmon roe! You've got a yummy sounding name!"

Zakuro laughed along with Goku. "You are an amusing boy! What is yours and the young lady's names?"

Before Goku could give their names, a group of youkai appeared at the edge of the forest. There were four of them, two with axes, and the other two with pikes. They leered down at the little trio. "This looks like a little party of trespassers."

The one that appeared to be the leader stepped forward. "A youkai, a human boy, and…is that a half breed? I never thought I would actually see one."

Goku bristled and immediately pulled Meika close to him. He hated when people brought up the fact that she was half-human, half-youkai. He knew how much it upset the little girl. He didn't even care that they'd mistaken him for a human. "We weren't doing anything." He snarled out.

The leader ignored Goku, writing him off as a posturing human. He turned his full attention to Zakuro. "I've never seen you around before. This forest is our turf. You better get your ass out of here, unless you want us to kick your ass." He smirked at the indignant look on Zakuro's face. "Oh, and you have to leave the boy and girl behind. I bet the two of them taste real nice."

Meika snarled, getting ready to summon a water dragon, while Goku had already called forth his weapon. "Just try it, you creep." She blinked in surprise when Zakuro stepped in front of her and Goku. "Zakuro?"

"Run, both of you." Zakuro said bravely. "I owe my life to the two of you, so let me repay you in this way." He turned his attention to the group of youkai, a wicked smirk on his face. "You will pay greatly for daring to attack me, the great Zakuro. Tell me, do you have the courage to look into my eyes?"

Meika tugged on Goku's hand, trying to get him to run away. She didn't bother looking up into Zakuro's eyes, but Goku did. She blinked as Goku suddenly began hopping around. "Goku, what's wrong?"

"Don't you see all the skulls?" Goku asked incredulously. He gestured wildly around at the ground.

Meika looked down at the bright green grass. She looked over to the bubbling stream, and then back to Goku. "No…"

Zakuro whipped around suddenly. "What are you two still doing here?"

"Well, you said to look into your eyes." Goku answered plainly.

"I was talking to them, not you!" Zakuro snapped. He looked back over at the group of youkai that were now charging at him. "You fools stand no chance against me. Especially since your weapons are melting!"

Meika was thoroughly confused. All of their weapons looked completely fine to her, but Goku and the group of youkai were freaking out. "You must really be an amazing illusionist."

Zakuro smirked at the compliment, but didn't respond. His whole attention was focused on the youkai before him. "You should pay close attention to those candles. They could catch on your clothes!"

"Goku, what's wrong?" Meika asked in alarm as Goku began hopping around, smacking at his clothes.

"It's hot!" Goku yelped, batting at flames only he could see.

Zakuro whipped back around to Goku. "Would you just cover your ears!"

One of the youkai heard him. "Hey, I think he's faking us out! Don't listen to him!"

"I don't really know what's going on." Goku said thoughtfully. "Can't I just beat them up?" He leapt forward to attack the three youkai.

"Hey, wait!" Zakuro protested. He blinked when he felt a tiny hand on his. He looked down at met Meika's smiling eyes.

"It's okay. Goku can beat them." Meika assured.

Zakuro nodded, still unsure. He realized that to Goku's eyes, his weapon was still useless. "You find that your weapon is restored!"

Goku smacked the youkai harshly across their faces with his weapon. He quickly covered his ears when Meika shouted to him.

"You all find yourselves plummeting over the edge of an endless abyss!" Zakuro shouted to the group of youkai.

Meika rushed over to Goku's side and nudged one of the unconscious youkai with her foot. "Are they dead?"

"No." Zakuro answered, stepping forward. He looked over at Goku and nodded his head. "You are very talented."

Goku scooped Meika up and hugged her. He grinned over at Zakuro. "Thanks. You were trying to protect us."

Meika perked up when she heard familiar voices approaching. "It's Sanzo and the others!" She waved her arms excitedly. "Sanzo, we're over here! We made a new friend!"

"Goku, wipe that stupid grin off your face!" Gojyo snapped when they broke through the trees. "I was worried sick about my sweet baby girl!"

"Is everything all right?" Hakkai asked, noticing the unconscious youkai on the ground.

Meika nodded excitedly. She motioned over to Zakuro. "We made a new friend. He helped us."

Gojyo snarled when he saw Zakuro. "What are you doing with that idiot? Get him away from my Meika!"

Zakuro was just as shocked as Gojyo and the others. "Sanzo and his comrades? What is going on here?"

One of the youkai managed to come to. "You three are with the Sanzo Party?"

Hakkai smiled wickedly. He spoke over Zakuro's loud protest. "Please inform all your friends that Zakuro-san has come and joined our side. Now, Meika, Goku, let's go."

Zakuro opened and closed his mouth a few times, watching the two groups leave. He couldn't believe what had just happened to him. "I demand you come back, Sanzo!"

Meika, now perched on Gojyo's shoulders, glanced back the way they had come. She could no longer see Zakuro, but she could hear him just fine. "I didn't know you guys knew Zakuro."

Gojyo laughed loudly. "That was awesome, Hakkai."

Hakkai nodded. "Indeed. I'm sure we won't have to worry about Zakuro-san for quite a while now."

Goku and Meika exchanged a look. Goku eventually shrugged. "So, are we close to a town? I'm starving!"

"Stupid monkey." Sanzo grouched out.

"We'll be to a town in about three days." Hakkai answered as they all piled into Jeep.

Goku groaned in annoyance. He snuggled Meika to his side. "That's too long! I'm so hungry!" He immediately closed his mouth when Sanzo pulled out his gun.

Meika snuggled next to Goku. She hoped Zakuro was going to be okay.


	68. Hazel Returns

**Sakura02: Lol, yes, it was a filler chapter. **

**Thanks: NeonPink2011, AdaYuki, and Lady Miel Cacao for reviewing!**

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"Meika, you're supposed to eat the food, not cuddle it." Hakkai chastised.

Meika looked up from hugging her plate close to her. She looked down at the steaming, hot food. "It's just…so yummy looking. We haven't had yummy food in so long…"

Hakkai nodded in agreement. "It did take us a bit longer to get through the mountains than I initially thought it would."

Sanzo blew out a cloud of cigarette smoke, ignoring the look of annoyance on a few nearby people. "We should've just gone around the damn mountains. We could've avoided that damn idiot."

Meika pouted. She had finally begun eating her meal. She swallowed most of the food in her mouth. "Zakuro wasn't that bad. I thought he was very nice."

Gojyo grinned wickedly. "That guy is comedy gold, though."

Meika glanced over as a waiter dropped a glass and broke it. "Are you okay, Mister?"

The man straightened up apologetically. He smiled at the group. "I'm all right. I'll get this cleaned up right away."

Meika watched the man scurry off to find a broom. She looked curiously over at Sanzo and the others. She could see from their faces that they'd seen what she'd seen. The man had yellow eyes, just like all the others that Hazel had brought back.

Sanzo stood up from the table, the others quickly following suit. "It's late."

Meika took one last gulp of her chocolate milk, before quickly following Sanzo and the others out of the restaurant. She latched onto Gojyo's arm as the group made their way down the street to the nearby inn. Meika swayed back and forth while Hakkai signed the ledger for their two bedroom room.

"Hey, where's the best place to get food around here?" Goku asked the woman excitedly.

The woman looked up from getting their room key and smiled. "There's a crab restaurant on East Street. It's really good…" She blinked at the blank look on Goku and Meika's faces.

"Goku, we'll talk about food later." Sanzo said shortly.

The woman showed them to their room, and quickly left. Meika peered out the window, and looked down at all the people milling around the town. "There's a lot of people with yellow eyes here…"

Hakkai nodded. He walked over and stood behind Meika, smoothing her hair down. "Hazel-san must've been through here earlier."

Meika crinkled her nose. "I can't stand that man. I hope we never see him again."

"Goku, don't ask too many questions around here." Sanzo said quietly. "I don't think people around here want to remember the unpleasant things."

"Okay…" Goku said reluctantly. We went over to the window and sat on the sill. He pulled Meika into his lap and nuzzled affectionately against the young girl. He perked up as the woman from earlier came in with some extra blankets. He couldn't help staring at her yellow eyes, wondering what had happened to her.

The woman noticed and smiled. "You're wondering about my yellow eyes. I was sick a little while ago. During my recovery, my eyes turned yellow. I'm not ashamed of them, though. I find that I'm very proud of them nowadays."

"They're very pretty." Meika said helpfully, offering the woman a small smile. She peered around the woman at the sound of feet running by. She noticed a very small boy and girl running down the hallway. They were even younger than she, possibly only three or four. She couldn't help grinning as the woman scolded the two children. "Are you their mommy?"

The woman smiled and nodded. "Yes."

Gojyo could see the sadness on Meika and Goku's faces. He decided to try and break the tension. "It's a shame you've got a husband and kids. That's going to make it a lot harder to hit on you."

Meika hopped out of Goku's arms and went over to Gojyo. She bopped him on the arm and frowned at him. "That's not okay, Gojyo!"

Gojyo and Hakkai went shopping to refill the group's supplies. While they were gone, Sanzo had Meika read the newspaper out loud to him. He'd realized they'd been slacking in Meika's lessons. They'd have to make sure she was doing her lessons every day to get her caught back up.

Once Gojyo and Hakkai got back, Hakkai braided Meika's hair. The group then went to the crab restaurant that the woman had mentioned to them for dinner. Meika was briefly disappointed that the restaurant didn't serve chocolate milk. This disappointment quickly disappeared as she took her first bite of the crab. The group ate and ate until they couldn't stuff anything more into their stomachs.

Meika hopped up onto Gojyo's back for a piggy back ride to the inn. "That food was yummy."

"I don't want to see another river crab for a month." Gojyo groaned out. He adjusted Meika's legs in his arms as they approached the room.

Sanzo rolled his eyes and opened the door. He was about to instruct Meika to get ready for bed when the sound of a familiarly irritating voice crashed through his ears. The group looked up to find Hazel sitting on one of their beds, while Gat stood beside him. Sanzo immediately closed the door.

"You can't ignore me once you've seen me!" Hazel shouted through the door.

The group reluctantly entered the room. Meika glared at Hazel, her hands on her hips. "Get off my bed."

Hazel chuckled and ruffled her hair. "My goodness. Still so hostile with me? I was hoping we would be friends by now. I'm shocked I was able to catch up with y'all. Don't tell me you actually went through the mountain instead of around."

"It's none of your business." Meika snapped out. "Get out of our room now!"

"May I finish my wine first?" Hazel inquired, holding up a half empty wine glass to emphasize his point.

Sanzo snarled. He picked Meika up and plopped her on the other bed between him and Goku. "Only a psycho would break into another person's room to drink."

"How'd you get in here anyway?" Goku snapped.

Hazel took a sip of his wine slowly, relishing the annoyed looks on the Sanzo Group's faces. "My face usually can get me anything I want. Surely you must've noticed that I've been here before."

Hakkai smiled brightly. He patted Meika's head to stop her from saying something very unladylike. "We had noticed all the yellow eyes, but we didn't think it was your work since we weren't attacked for being youkai."

Hazel returned the smile. "Well, that's wonderful."

"I hope you can refrain from fighting dirty for a bit longer." Hakkai continued, his smile never wavering from his face.

Hazel blinked, but his smile remained in place. "I'm not sure what you mean by that."

Hakkai laughed lightly. "That's probably because of your inability to comprehend."

Meika clung to Goku as the two men continued laughing together. "They're scary…"

Gojyo shrugged, and lit a cigarette. "I don't know. I think Hakkai being blunt is a nice change."

Sanzo leaned back against the wall, still glaring at Hazel. "Why did you come back West?"

"Why, to see you, Mister Sanzo." He laughed lightly at the irritated look on Sanzo's face. "I'm jus' kiddin'. I heard there's a rather fearsome youkai comin' this way, and I'm hopin' to catch the devil."

Meika couldn't help the curious look on her face. "What're you going to do when you find him?"

"Well, if he's plannin' on hurtin' humans, I'll probably kill him." Hazel answered coolly.

"Well, good luck with that." Gojyo sneered. "We've got better things to do with our time."

Hazel blinked. "Wouldn't it be better for us to all stick together?"

Meika stuck her tongue out indignantly. "No way! I don't want to work with a creep like you ever again!"

"Mercy! Such a lack of manners." Hazel looked up at Hakkai. "Y'all really should work on those manners with the young lady. She'll never get herself a husband talkin' like that."

Goku hissed and pulled Meika closer to him. "MeiMei doesn't need a husband! She's got all of us!"

Hazel stood up and put his hat back on. "Well, I suppose we'll see y'all tomorrow. The townsfolk have prepared a wonderful inn for us. They serve some really special food there. I would've liked for y'all to join me."

Gojyo scoffed. "We already stuffed ourselves full of crab."

"Yeah!" Goku chimed in. "It was yummy Shanghai Crab!"

Hazel smirked and opened the door. "King Crab is the only way to go." He walked out of the room with Gat close behind him.

Meika bristled. "I don't like that creep at all!"

Hakkai chuckled. "None of us do. Now, come on, Meika. Let's get you ready for bed." Hakkai gently unbraided Meika's hair and combed it out. He then helped the young girl into one of her long nightgowns. It was a bit chilly that night, so he made sure that Meika kept the long sleeves pulled down.

"I'll tuck MeiMei in!" Goku piped up. He pulled the covers back, barely hearing the door to their inn open and close. When he looked back up, it was just him and Meika in the room. "Where'd everyone go?"

"I think Gojyo wanted to go drink. Hakkai went to make sure Gojyo didn't do anything stupid. I think Sanzo went outside." Meika answered.

Goku lifted Meika up into the air and grunted. He beamed up at her. "You're getting heavier, Meika." He plopped her down in the bed.

Meika huffed indignantly as Goku pulled the sheets and cover up around her chin. "That's mean, Goku…"

Goku grinned and kissed Meika's forehead. He blinked at the thoughtful look on Meika's face. "What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking…if something ever happened to any of you…what I would do. Like, whether I'd bring you guys back or not. I think I would." Meika mumbled quietly.

Goku curled up on the bed beside Meika. He stroked her hair and noticed how wavy it was due to it having been in a braid. He held Meika close to him, and just listened to her breathing for a few minutes. "You won't ever have to worry about that, MeiMei. None of us are ever going to die. We won't let anything happen to you either. I'll never let anyone hurt you. I swear."

Meika leaned up and kissed Goku's cheek. She yawned and snuggled into the bed. "Night, Goku." Meika closed her eyes, and listened to Goku quietly leaving the room. Meika tossed and turned in the bed, trying to fall asleep. It was too quiet for her. She was used to the sound of Sanzo's heavy breathing, Hakkai's light breathing, and Gojyo and Goku's snoring. There were none of these sounds right now, and she couldn't get comfortable. There was a tight knot in her stomach. She felt like something was horribly wrong.

Huffing in frustration, Meika kicked the sheets and cover off. She put her feet on the cool ground, and padded over to the door. She quietly tiptoed out of the hallway and down the stairs. She didn't bother trying to find Gojyo and Hakkai. She went straight outside, wanting to find Sanzo and Goku. She was relieved to see the two of them talking to each other.

Goku grinned when he saw the little girl running towards him and Sanzo. "MeiMei, you should be asleep. You didn't even put your shoes on…"

Meika stopped just beside Sanzo, trying to process the sight before her. She barely felt the warm blood splatter across her face and feet. All she could focus on was Goku's bleeding body collapsing to the ground in front of her and Sanzo. "Goku…?" Meika knelt down beside his prone body and gently shook his shoulders. He didn't respond to her shaking, or the sound of her calling his name over and over again. "Goku!"


	69. Chaos

**I am so sorry for the long wait between updates! School comes before everything else, even my own writing. I'll try to update more frequently. I've only got one more year of college, and the workload is definitely starting to kick my butt.**

**Sakura02: He'll be okay! Don't worry!  
Guest: I'm glad you like Meika! I don't think I'll be doing a Samurai Champloo story. I've got a few other stories planned already, and I've never really read/watched Samurai Champloo.**

**Thanks: AdaYuki, Beryl Bloodstone, NeonPink2011, RandomReader16, Lady Miel Cacao, and digilover23 for reviewing!**

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"Goku! Goku!" Meika screamed hysterically. She didn't pay any attention to Sanzo whom was frantically searching for who or what had attacked Goku. Meika held Goku's head in her arms and continued sobbing. She didn't even flinch at Sanzo firing his gun. "Goku, you promised! Goku, don't die!"

"What's going on?" Hakkai and Gojyo rushed out of the inn. Both stopped in their tracks when they saw how badly injured Goku was. Hakkai was the first to react. He knelt beside Meika. "Meika, give Goku to me. I'll close his wounds."

"What the hell happened, Sanzo?" Gojyo yelled. He frowned when he didn't get a response from Sanzo. "Hey!"

Sanzo was shocked out of his stupor by Hakkai slapping him in the face. He looked blankly at Hakkai. "What…"

"Hold Meika." Hakkai clipped out, finally managing to tear the hysterical girl away from Goku's bleeding body. He gently pushed her into Sanzo's slack arms.

Meika clung tightly to Sanzo, and continued to sob. She looked up when Sanzo didn't hold her. "Sanzo…?" She whipped back around to look at Goku when she heard him coughing violently. "Hakkai, fix him!"

"His wounds are too deep, and his organs are rupturing." Hakkai muttered. "Gojyo, turn his head!"

Sanzo yanked himself out of Meika's slack grip. He stormed off down the street, ignoring Gojyo shouting after him. "I'll kill him! I'll kill him!"

Meika's sobbing reached a new level. She didn't understand what was going on. She was scared and confused. The fact that the others were acting panicked wasn't helping her in the slightest. Meika knelt beside Goku's turned head. She wasn't sure what else to do, so she began stroking Goku's hair. She did her best to ignore how sticky his hair was due to all the blood caked in it. "Hakkai, what're we going to do?"

Hakkai hesitated for a brief moment. "We're too late. There's nothing more we can do for him."

"W-What?" Meika choked out. She couldn't believe what Hakkai had just said. "No! You can fix him! You can fix anyone, Hakkai! Fix him! Hurry!"

"How the hell are you staying so calm?" Gojyo yelled, and grabbed Hakkai by the front of his shirt.

"Gojyo, calm down!" Hakkai snapped finally. "You're only making things worse! You need to calm down, for Meika's sake."

Gojyo finally collected himself, realizing Meika's sobbing had reached a new pitch. He pulled Meika away from Goku's prone form. He stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. "It's going to be okay, baby girl. It's going to be okay."

"No it's not." Meika cried out. "Goku's dying, and Hakkai can't fix him."

Hakkai spoke slowly, almost unsure about whether to bring the idea up. "We have one final option. We can remove Goku's diadem and use the Seiten Taisei's energy to heal the worst of Goku's wounds."

Gojyo looked nervously around at all the people that had begun to gather due to all the commotion. "Here?"

"We don't have time to hesitate." Hakkai said sharply.

"I'm not hesitating." Gojyo snipped out.

"He'll hurt the two of you, though." Meika said worriedly.

Hakkai smiled and stroked Meika's cheek. "We'll be all right. I promise." He turned back to Gojyo and nodded his head. "Ready?"

Meika gasped as she suddenly felt herself being hoisted up into the air. She barely heard Gojyo and Hakkai shouting her name in alarm. When she finally stopped moving, she looked up. "Goku?"

Goku held Meika close to him. He was trembling. He suddenly began howling in extreme pain and anger.

Meika held on tightly to Goku's arm as balls of energy shot up from the Earth itself. "Goku, it's okay. You're okay."

Goku straightened suddenly. He looked down at Meika's wide and frightened eyes. He petted her hair slowly. _"MeiMei…okay…"_

Meika didn't have time to stop Goku as he suddenly leapt off the roof and towards the very frightened villagers. "Goku, no! Everyone, you have to run!"

Gojyo managed to catch Goku's leg with his chains, and stop the rampaging youkai from hurting any of the innocent villagers. "I don't think so!"

"Move, Gojyo!" Hakkai shot an energy blast directly at Goku.

Meika carefully leapt down from the roof. She rushed over to Gojyo and Hakkai. "Did you stop him?" She received an answer when Goku not only stopped the attack, but put even more energy into it before sending it back to the three. Meika yelped as Gojyo grabbed onto her and curled around her on the ground to protect her. "Gojyo, are you okay?"

Gojyo held Meika closer for a few more seconds, trying to regain his bearings. "I…I'm fine. You okay, Baby Girl?"

"How are we gonna stop Goku?" Meika whimpered out once Gojyo finally allowed her to sit up. "We need Sanzo." She looked over towards the inn when she heard children crying. Goku had cornered the inn keeper and her two children. The woman was crouched protectively in front of her children. "Goku, leave them alone!"

Goku whipped around, poised to attack. He paused when he saw the little girl glaring at him. _"MeiMei…why…" _He flew a few feet as a loud bang rang through the now empty street.

Meika screamed in horror. She whipped around to face the source of the gunshot. She glared when she saw Hazel and Gat. "Leave Goku alone!"

Hazel ignored the small girl. "So, Goku's true form is the Seiten Taisei."

Hakkai frowned. "How do you know that name?"

Everyone's attention returned to Goku. He slowly sat up, and dropped the two bullets from his hand. He grinned evilly over at the group. He lunged directly toward Gat. He managed to rip off one of Gat's arms before getting shot in the face. He spit the bullet out, completely unfazed.

"Goku, stop!" Meika rushed towards him, ignoring the inn keeper and Hakkai shouting out to her. By the time she reached him, he'd managed to catch three more rounds of bullets. Meika latched onto his waist and hugged him. "Stop it, Goku. Let us put your diadem back on! I want my Goku back!"

"Move outta the way!" Hazel snapped at the little girl. He tried to hide his flinch when Goku snarled furiously at him.

Meika quickly wrapped her arms around Goku's neck, so that he had to bend down to look at her. "Goku, please stop."

Goku wiped a few stray tears away with his clawed hand. _"Don't cry…MeiMei…" _Again, Goku's words were cut off by a gunshot. This time though, he was not the one that was shot.

"Meika!" Gojyo and Hakkai screamed.

Meika's grip on Goku slackened. She reached down and gently touched her hand to her stomach. She pulled it away to find warm, sticky blood coating her hand. She looked up at Goku. "Goku, don't…"

Goku caught Meika as she fell forward. _"MeiMei…MeiMei!" _An unearthly howl tore from his mouth. _"My MeiMei…my MeiMei!"_

"Hakkai, what are we going to do?" Gojyo had to restrain himself from running over and attempting to take Meika away from Goku. Goku was going crazier by the second, and Gojyo didn't want Goku accidently hurting Meika more than she already was.

Hakkai already had his hands on his limiters. "If I go berserk, Gojyo, please stop me. Get Meika somewhere safe as soon as you can."

Gojyo sucked in a breath. He was so screwed.


End file.
